Government efficiency portal

AN ACT Relating to creating a portal to identify opportunities 1
for increased government efficiency; adding a new section to chapter 2
44.04 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to 5
ensure taxpayer dollars are invested appropriately and efficiently. 6
The legislature recognizes that state employees, especially those 7
directly involved in the delivery of services to the public, are 8
likely to have detailed knowledge that would help identify 9
opportunities for eliminating unnecessary, inefficient, or even 10
unlawful spending.11
Additionally, the legislature recognizes the ability of members 12
of the public, through their personal experience or observation, to 13
identify spending that appears to be wasteful or fraudulent and 14
therefore deserving of formal scrutiny. The legislature is aware of 15
federal efforts to increase the efficiency of government and 16
eliminate waste and intends to enlist the assistance of state 17
employees and the public in pursuing the same beneficial outcome.18
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 44.04 19
RCW to read as follows: 20
S-0359.1
SENATE BILL 5146
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Gildon, Braun, Christian, Dozier, Fortunato, Wagoner,
Warnick, and J. Wilson
Prefiled 01/07/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
p. 1 SB 5146
(1) The secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house 1
of representatives shall jointly establish and administer the 2
government efficiency portal for state employees and other persons to 3
identify state government services that are delivered in a 4
duplicative, wasteful, or inefficient manner. 5
(2) The government efficiency portal must be accessible from a 6
publicly available website that is optimized, to the extent possible, 7
to allow persons with disabilities and persons using mobile devices 8
to access the portal. 9
(3) The government efficiency portal must contain fields for the 10
user to input the following information: 11
(a) The person's name and address, with the option for the user 12
to submit information through the portal anonymously;13
(b) The state agency about which information is being submitted, 14
if known; 15
(c) The policy area of government about which information is 16
being submitted; 17
(d) Whether the person is a state employee; and18
(e) A description of the government services being delivered in a 19
duplicative, wasteful, or inefficient manner. 20
(4) By January 10th of each year, the secretary of the senate and 21
the chief clerk of the house of representatives must provide for the 22
transmission of all submissions to the government efficiency portal 23
from the previous calendar year to the chairs and ranking members of 24
the senate ways and means committee and the house appropriations 25
committee or their successor committees. 26
(5) State employees who submit suggestions for remediating 27
duplication, waste, and inefficiency in the delivery of state 28
services through the government efficiency portal that are 29
implemented and result in net savings, revenue, or both to the state 30
shall be eligible for cash awards under RCW 41.60.041.31
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p. 2 SB 5146