Sen. Haskell’s Legislation to Eliminate Wasteful Spending Approved by Senate

State Senator Will Haskell speaks on the Senate floor Friday regarding legislation he introduced to eliminate wasteful government spending.

HARTFORD, CT – Today, the Senate approved legislation introduced by State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) and Representative Jane Garibay (D-Windsor) that would help eliminate wasteful spending within state government. This bill is intended to improve efficiency of government departments, encouraging state employees to find ways to reduce spending and cut costs.

Senate Bill No. 682, “An Act Concerning State Employee Reporting of Wasteful Practices,” would provide state employees who report wasted funds in their employment agency to receive a financial reward of 5 percent of the estimated savings, which could represent an amount up to $10,000, after the wasteful practice is remedied and the Auditors of Public Accounts confirm the savings. Agency and department heads, as well as a “suggestion coordinator” in each agency, would be ineligible for that financial reward. The bill is modeled on similar programs that have helped municipalities cut costs.

“We’ve got to move beyond “us vs. them” rhetoric when it comes to state employees and streamlining Connecticut’s bureaucracy,” said Sen. Haskell. “With this bill, state employees will be our partner in removing inefficiency and saving taxpayer dollars. After all, those who work inside the government know the ins and outs of our agencies better than anyone else. I want to thank Representative Garibay and Senator Mae Flexer (D-Windham) for their hard work on this legislation and their tireless advocacy for the Connecticut taxpayer. I’m hopeful that the bill will be called in the House soon.”