Committee advances constitutional amendment to create a commissioner of government efficiency and eliminate lieutenant governor office

The Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee reported SJR 17‑56 favorably. The joint resolution would place a Commissioner of Government Efficiency into the statewide Cabinet—tasked with addressing waste, fraud and abuse—and would eliminate the office of the Lieutenant Governor from the state constitution.

Sponsor Senator Feine said the amendment package would ‘‘create the commissioner of government efficiency as a cabinet officer to look into waste fraud and abuse and would also eliminate the office of the Lieutenant Governor.’’ Committee members asked how succession would operate without a lieutenant governor. Senator Feine noted that under the current constitution the attorney general is the successor to the governor and that, practically, the lieutenant governor’s statutory duties are assigned at the governor’s discretion.

Questions focused on (1) how a vacancy or succession would be handled if the lieutenant governor office is removed; (2) whether a statewide elected commissioner role is preferable to an appointed task force; and (3) whether it makes sense to pay for an elected official whose duties are unspecified. Senator Feine said elevating the role to the Cabinet would give the office more visibility than the current task‑force structure.

Public commenters opposed the measure, arguing it would reduce public‑employee positions; supporters argued it would strengthen oversight. Senator Feine closed saying the amendment gives voters the choice in a future ballot and suggested alternatives (for example, defining specific duties for a lieutenant governor) if the resolution does not pass.

The committee recorded a roll‑call vote and reported the joint resolution favorably; the measure will go to the ballot if advanced by the Legislature and approved as a constitutional amendment by voters.