House committee advances bill to create independent statewide inspector general amid questions on labor, federal compliance

Representative Patty Anderson, R., told the House Children and Families Committee that House File 1 would establish an independent Office of Inspector General within the legislative branch to investigate “fraud, misuse and other public funds in state government” and improve oversight of state grantmaking.

The bill would move existing OIG functions from several executive-branch agencies into a single legislatively overseen office, modeled on the Legislative Auditor’s structure and overseen by the Legislative Audit Commission. Anderson moved the bill to be re‑referred to the Committee on State Government Finance; the committee approved the referral by voice vote.

Supporters, including Anderson and members of the committee, argued a consolidated OIG would reduce “siloing” among agencies and provide a single point to identify vendors or grantees that receive state dollars. Anderson said the office would refer suspected criminal conduct to county attorneys, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or federal partners rather than prosecute directly: “They will…