Senate Committee Approves Fee’s Declaration of Independence for State Inspector General
HARRISBURG – Legislation to ensure the independence of the inspector general role moved closer to final passage by earning approval in the Pennsylvania Senate’s State Government Committee, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mindy Fee (R-Manheim).
“This bill is important because the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General simply must be independent. No inspector general should fear that uncovering waste, fraud and abuse in the Commonwealth’s executive agencies could result in being dismissed from his or her job. Maintaining the independence of the post is best accomplished by instituting a nomination and confirmation process that brings in two branches of government and makes the process bipartisan,” Fee said.
The statewide Office of Inspector General was created by executive order in 1987 by then Gov. Bob Casey. The office has been reauthorized by ever governor since. Currently, the inspector general is appointed by, and reports to, the governor. Fee’s legislation,
House Bill 1618, would establish Casey’s original executive order as law, while maintaining the powers and duties that are already assigned to the office. Pennsylvania is one of only a very few states that do not have an Office of Inspector General established by law.
Under the legislation, the governor would nominate a candidate for inspector general, and the state Senate would confirm the nominee by a two-thirds vote. This process replicates the vast majority of Pennsylvania’s other cabinet positions.
Fee stressed that this legislation is no statement about the performance of the current inspector general, Grayling Williams, or Gov. Tom Wolf. “If the bill is passed, it would not take effect until after the next gubernatorial election, unless the present inspector general resigns from his post,” the lawmaker noted.
State Sen. Ryan Aument (R-West Hempfield), who introduced similar legislation to Fee’s bill in the state Senate, was encouraged by the support that this bill received in the Senate committee. “I am pleased that the full Senate is now poised to take up this important legislation,” said Sen. Aument. “The people expect, and rightfully deserve, that before state government ever asks taxpayers for additional revenue that we do all that we can to ensure that waste, fraud and abuse of government programs and services is identified and eliminated. That is the entire goal of this legislation.”
The bill passed in the House in November 2015. With today’s passage in the state Senate committee, it now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Representative Mindy Fee
37th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Diane Moore
717.772.9844
dmoore@pahousegop.com
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