Previous Story
Whistleblowers’ compensation bill OK’d
|
Posted on Dec 20 2004
The Legislature passed Friday a measure that would provide compensation for people who offer information about corruption in government.
The House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 14-31 on first reading on Friday. The Senate also passed the proposed legislation on a unanimous vote on Dec. 3.
The bill will take effect upon approval by Gov. Juan N. Babauta.
The bill, which will be known as the “Whistleblowers Compensation Act of 2004,” adds a new subsection to 1 CMC 7841. The amendment reads, “If the person comes forward with information leading to the recovery of public funds, that person shall receive a $500 reward or 5 percent of the total recovery, whichever is greater.”
Sen. Paterno S. Hocog, the author of the bill, noted that the existing law provides ample protection for people who supply information concerning fraud, waste, and abuse in the collection or expenditure of public funds.
“However, the Legislature finds that this program would be even more effective if the people submitting this vital information were to receive monetary compensation, but only if said information gives the Office of the Public Auditor an opportunity to recover public funds,” reads a portion of the bill.
