General Assembly Raised Bill No. 324 seeks to enhance government oversight and efficiency by establishing the Office of Government Oversight and Efficiency, which will be responsible for detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in state operations. The bill outlines the creation of a working group to study and recommend legislation aimed at preventing the waste of taxpayer dollars through partnerships between state agencies and private providers. The executive director of the new office will be appointed by the Auditors of Public Accounts and will have the authority to conduct investigations, access records, and issue subpoenas. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the office's activities and introduces amendments to existing statutes, including expanding reporting obligations for ethical violations and requiring state agencies to notify the Auditors and the executive director of unauthorized handling of state funds.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the process for reporting corruption and unethical practices, allowing individuals to report directly to the executive director instead of the Auditors of Public Accounts. It enhances protections for whistleblowers by prohibiting retaliatory actions against employees who disclose information and establishes a rebuttable presumption of retaliation for personnel actions occurring within two years of such disclosures. The bill also includes provisions for civil actions against state agencies or contractors for retaliatory actions and mandates that large state contracts include civil penalty provisions. Overall, Raised Bill No. 324 aims to strengthen accountability and transparency within state government while providing robust protections for employees who report misconduct.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 1-101pp, 4-33a, 4-37j, 4-61dd, 2-92a