Establishes "State Government Employee-Driven Efficiency Initiative."

A4471

ASSEMBLY, No. 4471

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes �State Government Employee-Driven
Efficiency Initiative.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
establishing the �State Government Employee-Driven
Efficiency Initiative� and supplementing chapter 15C of Title 52 of the Revised
Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� The Office of the
State Comptroller shall develop, establish, and oversee the �State Government
Employee-Driven Efficiency Initiative.�� The initiative shall allow employees
of any State department, board, commission, agency, authority, or
instrumentality to report to the State Comptroller instances of perceived
waste, fraud, or inefficiency found during the course of their employment.� The
State Comptroller may investigate a report to determine its validity.� If the
reported claim is found to be valid, the State Comptroller shall collaborate
with the head of the appropriate department, board, commission, agency,
authority, or instrumentality to develop a plan to correct the waste, fraud, or
inefficiency.� The State Comptroller and the head of the appropriate department,
board, commission, agency, authority, or instrumentality may request assistance
from the employee who submitted the report in order to better resolve the
reported issue.�

���� b.� Once the plan to correct
the waste, fraud, or inefficiency is implemented, the head of the department, board,
commission, agency, authority, or instrumentality shall determine the amount of
monies saved in the first full fiscal year of adoption or as a one-time
savings.� The initiative shall provide an incentive payment equal in amount to
five percent of any savings generated in the first full fiscal year of
adoption, with a minimum of $500, to the employee who reported the validated
claim of waste, fraud, or inefficiency.� If the plan to correct the waste,
fraud, or inefficiency is implemented and the head of the department, board,
commission, agency, authority, or instrumentality determines it generates a
one-time savings for the State, the employee who reported the claim will
receive an incentive payment equal in amount to five percent of the savings,
with a minimum of $500.

���� c.� The State Comptroller
shall establish an electronic and printable form with which an employee of a
State department, board, commission, agency, authority, or instrumentality may submit
a claim reporting perceived waste, fraud, or inefficiencies in State government.�
The form shall require, at a minimum, identification of the employee, a
detailed explanation of the perceived waste, fraud, or inefficiency, and an
option for the employee to remain anonymous to any State entity employees and
supervisors outside of the Office of the State Comptroller.�

���� The home page of the Internet
site for each department, board, commission, agency, authority, and
instrumentality of this State shall include a prominently located and clearly
labeled link to the form.� The form may be submitted electronically or mailed
to the Office of the State Comptroller.

���� A submitted form shall be
subject to disclosure under P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), known commonly
as the open public records act, except for that portion of any document that
discloses personal identifying information.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the
�State Government Employee-Driven Efficiency Initiative.�� The purpose of this
bill is to draw upon the experience and expertise of State employees for the
benefit of taxpayers and recipients of State services.�

���� While responsible government
stewardship of taxpayer dollars should always be a priority, it is a
particularly acute need now that the State is grappling with a multi-billion
dollar structural deficit, meaning the budget is billions short of revenue to pay
for its level of spending.� This bill was written only months after Governor
Murphy�s administration issued directives to State departments to cut spending
by five percent, and to freeze discretionary pay raises and hiring, in
preparation for the next State budget.� With the continuation of full pension
payments and the upcoming need to fully fund the Stay NJ property tax relief
program for seniors, reductions and efficiencies in other State spending must
be addressed to ensure such priorities can be maintained.

���� The Office of the State
Comptroller will develop, establish, and oversee the �State Government
Employee-Driven Efficiency Initiative.�� The initiative will allow employees of
any State department, board, commission, agency, authority, or instrumentality
to report to the State Comptroller instances of perceived waste, fraud, or
inefficiencies found in the course of their employment.� The State Comptroller
may investigate a report to determine the validity of the claim.� If the
reported claim is found to be valid, the State Comptroller will collaborate
with the head of the State entity to develop a plan to correct the waste,
fraud, or inefficiency.� The State Comptroller and the head of the appropriate
State entity may request assistance from the employee who submitted the report
in order to better resolve the issue.�

���� Once the plan to correct the
waste, fraud, or inefficiency is in place, the head of the State entity will
determine the amount of money saved in the first full fiscal year after the
plan is adopted or as a one-time savings.� The initiative will provide an
incentive payment in an amount equal to five percent of any savings generated in
the first full fiscal year of adoption or five percent of the one-time savings,
with a minimum of $500, to the employee who reported the claim of waste, fraud,
or inefficiency.

���� The State Comptroller will
establish an electronic and printable form with which an employee of a State entity
may submit a claim reporting perceived waste, fraud, or inefficiencies in State
government.� The form will require, at a minimum, identification of the
employee, a detailed explanation of the perceived waste, fraud, or
inefficiency, and an option for the employee to remain anonymous to any State
entity employees and supervisors outside of the Office of the State
Comptroller. �Personal identifying information on submitted forms will not be
subject to disclosure under the law commonly known as the open public records
act.

���� The home page of the Internet
site for each department, board, commission, agency, authority, and
instrumentality of this State will include a prominently located and clearly
labeled link to the form.� The form may be submitted electronically or mailed
to the Office of the State Comptroller.� The establishment of this form
codifies a fraud, waste, and abuse complaint form displayed on the Office of
the State Comptroller website.