Bill > HF4130

This bill establishes the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) as an independent entity within the executive branch of state government, responsible for ensuring accountability and integrity in state agencies and programs, with the Inspector General reporting directly to the governor and operating free from interference from other executive or legislative authorities. The bill defines key terms like "agency program," "fraud," "misuse," and "personal gain," and outlines minimum qualifications for the Inspector General, who must have extensive experience in relevant fields and cannot have served in certain high-level government positions within a specified timeframe; the appointment process involves recommendations from a Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission and confirmation by the senate. The OIG's duties include setting standards for agency inspectors general, supporting their work, facilitating interagency information sharing and investigations, evaluating agency inspector general performance, investigating entities receiving public funds, referring matters for legal action, and publishing reports on its activities. The bill also grants the Inspector General subpoena power and requires cooperation from public officials and entities handling public funds, with penalties for non-compliance, and establishes mechanisms for reporting fraud and ensuring transparency, including public access to certain investigative data. Furthermore, it creates an Inspector General Coordinating Committee to enhance collaboration among agencies on program integrity and establishes interagency agreements with specific departments like Human Services, Children, Youth, and Families, and Health to coordinate investigative efforts, while also appropriating funds for the establishment and operation of the OIG and related coordination efforts.