Delaware lawmakers pushing bills regarding spending concerns, accountability for legislators

DELAWARE – “I don’t think that anyone wants to waste their own time knowing what the outcome is when we’re only judging each other, or one sides judging the other, or one sides judging themselves. That’s what this office will hopefully try to combat help combat,” Rep. Michael F. Smith said.

Delaware lawmakers are pushing legislation which would strengthen efforts to improve accountability amongst those in the legislative body.

House Bill 261 would establish the Office of Legislative Ethics for the General Assembly. That office would be tasked with investigating allegations of wrongdoing by legislators. “From people that might be hired with no experience in certain roles. For example, there was one just around police accountability. I’d questioned exactly what your merit is or what your background is to be able to facilitate that job besides being a member of a specific party,” Rep. Smith said.

The bill would also allow investigation requests from the general public. Under current house and senate rules, only another legislator can bring a complaint to a chamber’s ethics committee. “Then there’s the due process side of it. Obviously not all complaints are equal, so some will require due process and others will not. That will be up to the office to consider,” Rep. Smith said.

Spending concerns are another area of focus. Representative Bryan Shupe is introducing a bill that would prohibit lawmakers who are employed by non-government organizations from sitting on committees that help write up the state’s capital budget or other funding bills. “There’s nothing that says these individuals can’t be employed. They can still be employed, they just can’t sit on a committee that allocates the money,” Rep. Shupe said.

Representative Shupe believes he could have bipartisan support on the measure despite some push back. “For the individuals that it involves, they do not want to see it at all. I think across the aisle, whether its Democratic or Republican, the people that aren’t on these committees see it as movement forward towards transparency and accountability,” Rep. Shupe said.

Rep. Shupe says he’s hoping to help provide more oversight in spending with his bill.

House Bill 261 currently sits in the House Administration Committee.

A third piece of legislation, House Bill 40, would create a six-member Grants-in-Aid Committee that would be tasked with thoroughly evaluating applicants and giving lawmakers better insight into how to invest taxpayer money.