New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

New Jersey Assembly Bill A2242

Introduced
1/9/24  

Caption

Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

Impact

The implementation of A2242 would signify a pivotal shift in how government accountability is managed in New Jersey. By centralizing oversight under the Chief Accountability Officer, this bill aims to streamline the functions of existing compliance and ombudsman offices, ensuring that they work in coordination and adherence to established laws and standards. This consolidation could potentially improve efficiency in audits, investigations, and overall state governance, allowing for a more systematic approach to handling citizen complaints and compliance-related issues.

Summary

Assembly Bill A2242 proposes the establishment of a Chief Accountability Officer (CAO) within the Office of the Governor of New Jersey. This bill mandates the Governor to appoint the CAO, who will serve a term of five years and operate under the oversight of the Governor. The CAO is intended to enhance accountability in government by supervising a range of state officials, including various ombudsmen and compliance officers, thereby creating a cohesive framework for regulatory oversight and compliance across state agencies.

Contention

While the bill is poised for positive impacts on state governance, it also presents potential concerns regarding the independence of the various officers the CAO would oversee. Critics may argue that such centralized oversight could stifle individual agency operations and reduce the effectiveness of specific ombudsman functions, which are designed to represent specific constituencies or interests. The balance between centralized accountability and the need for independent operational authority will likely be a central point of debate as the bill progresses through the legislative process.

Companion Bills

NJ S2270

Same As Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

NJ S483

Carry Over Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

NJ A1468

Carry Over Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

Previously Filed As

NJ A3448

Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

NJ S3136

Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

NJ A2613

Requires Chief Diversity Officer in Department of Treasury and other State officers to conduct certain outreach events, training workshops, and educational programs for minority and women-owned businesses.

NJ HB581

Allow police chief to appoint certain officers as court officer

NJ SB2625

Chief Information Officer; create an executive-appointed position.

NJ A4452

Establishes Office of the State Chief Efficiency Officer and Efficiency Officer positions in each State Executive Branch department.

NJ S3504

Establishes Office of the State Chief Efficiency Officer and Efficiency Officer positions in each State Executive Branch department.

NJ A06733

Establishes the New York state school resource officer program; provides for grants for school resource officers (Part A); relates to peace officers who are retired police officers employed by a school district as a school resource officer (Part B); allows retired police officers to be employed by a school district as a school safety officer, school security officer or any other substantially similar position for an annual salary of $50,000 or less to continue to receive their full retirement benefit (Part C).

NJ S04893

Establishes the New York state school resource officer program; provides for grants for school resource officers (Part A); relates to peace officers who are retired police officers employed by a school district as a school resource officer (Part B); allows retired police officers to be employed by a school district as a school safety officer, school security officer or any other substantially similar position for an annual salary of $50,000 or less to continue to receive their full retirement benefit (Part C).

NJ HB3515

Relating to appointment of officers of the West Virginia State Police

Similar Bills

NJ S3136

Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

NJ A3448

Requires Governor to appoint Chief Accountability Officer to supervise all State ombudsmen, compliance officers, comptrollers, and other officers with substantially similar positions.

MS HB218

ARPA Expenditures Ombudsman; establish to oversee all expenditures of ARPA funds.

NJ A1420

Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.

NJ S3480

Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.

TX SB2387

Relating to the creation of the office of independent oversight ombudsman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

TX HB5565

Relating to the creation of the office of independent oversight ombudsman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

ME LD1962

An Act to Increase Legislative Access to Department of Corrections Facilities and to Direct the Commissioner to Establish Rules Regarding Legislator Access to Correctional and Detention Facilities