At the request of the Commissioner of Social Services, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management is authorized to cancel any receivable that has resulted from an audit against a town, including any receivables associated with the prior general assistance program operated by towns. The secretary may direct the Commissioner of Social Services to estimate any potential receivables from future audits in the former general assistance programs operated by towns and authorize the commissioner to suspend any future audits. If the secretary authorizes the suspension of future audits in the program, the commissioner shall notify the towns of such suspension.