Delaware is on its way to having an inspector general's office.
The measure passed the House on a near-unanimous vote in the early hours on July 1. Only Sussex state Rep. Jeff Hilovsky, R-Oak Orchard-Angola, voted against the legislation.
The office that would handle complaints of wrongdoing by "whistleblowers" had been proposed more than a decade ago after a scandal surfaced over allegations of favored treatment by the Department of Transportation to a politically connected alcoholic beverage distributor.
It led to a report by a former State Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (no longer available online) over corruption and favored treatment for "insiders" in the state.
However legislative leaders and governors were lukewarm to the idea, citing overlap with agencies like the state Auditor of Accounts office and the Justice Department.
Supporters of the bill noted that the Attorney General's office (Justice Department) has a conflict in dealing with such matters since it represents state agencies in legal disputes.
State Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-north Wilmington, sponsored the bill after the retirement of long-time sponsor, state Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark.
The proposal appeared to pick up steam when allegations surfaced regarding the conduct of former state Auditor Kathy McGuiness, who was later resigned and was convicted on misdemeanor counts. McGuiness denied wrongdoing and appealed.
Cost of the office will total about $3.5 million over the next three years, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill. The text of the bill cited taxpayer savings from probes in other states.
Click here for the text and vote totals for the bill that awaits the governor's signature. Gov. Matt Meyer has indicated that he supports the legislation.
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