New Watchdog Committee Adopts Rules, Begins Task of Ensuring a More Efficient State Government

A new joint legislative oversight committee is ready to get down to the business of cutting government waste and eliminating bureaucratic red tape.

Today, the Joint Committee on Accountability in Government (JAG) formally adopted the governing rules that will help it administer its oversight responsibilities.

"With a strong foundation of rules in place, we can move on to more important business, namely the process of making government as lean and mean as possible," said Senator Jeff Rabon, chairman of the JAG committee.

JAG was created by legislative leaders in January to serve as a watchdog over the state's hundreds of agencies, boards and commissions. The panel is composed of an equal number of House and Senate members.

Before adopting its final rules, the JAG committee sought guidance from experts around the country, including representatives of the National Conference of State Legislatures and a similar oversight panel in Mississippi.

"We tried to pull in as many resources and ideas as possible. When all is said and done, I hope to have the best oversight committee in the country. The Oklahoma taxpayers deserve the best," noted Representative John Sellers, JAG vice-chairman.

The panel's main goal is to increase the efficiency of the hundreds of state agencies, boards and commissions, making sure they serve the people in the most efficient manner possible. Its overall objectives include:

• Identify and eliminate inefficiency in state government;
  
• Identify and eliminate unnecessary duplication in government functions and services;
  
• Monitor state programs to ensure they are meeting needs of taxpayers and delivering services efficiently;
  
• Determine whether responsible parties are administering state law and policy properly throughout the state;
  
• Increase awareness and understanding of government programs.

Before the creation of the new oversight panel, there was no formal entity in place to keep tabs on the numerous agencies and state programs which comprised state government. That responsibility was carried out informally by the executive and legislative branches.

"By serving as their official watchdog, I think we're going to play a very important role for the taxpayers of Oklahoma. We want to make sure we're getting the best bang for every buck we spend on behalf of all the citizens of Oklahoma," said Rabon and Sellers.