The bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 9.4, in Title 42 of the General Laws, creating the office of the Inspector General as an independent administrative agency. This office is charged with the responsibility to investigate, detect, and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds across all state programs, including those involving federal, state, and local funds.

The Inspector General will be appointed for a five-year term by a majority vote of key state officials, including the governor, attorney general, general treasurer, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, and the president and minority leader of the senate. The appointee must possess relevant experience and qualifications in areas such as accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration, investigation, and criminal justice administration.

The bill outlines the appointment process, qualifications, and conditions for removal from office, specifying that the Inspector General may be removed for cause by a two-thirds vote of the appointing officials. The powers and responsibilities of the Inspector General include conducting audits, criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, and inspections, as well as issuing subpoenas for necessary information.

The bill emphasizes the confidentiality of complaints received by the Inspector General, particularly from individuals seeking anonymity, and mandates the establishment of an anonymous hotline for reporting potential wrongdoings. It grants the Inspector General the authority to report violations of federal or state criminal law to appropriate authorities, including the attorney general and the United States Attorney, and to coordinate with other state agencies to prevent duplication of efforts.

Additionally, the bill allows for civil recovery actions with the attorney general's authorization and requires the Inspector General to prepare annual and interim reports summarizing the office's activities. These reports will be made public while protecting the identities of individuals involved in ongoing investigations.