bill has the State Auditor run a waste hotline

The text as introduced · 599 words

89R15311 SCF-D

By: Olcott
H.B. No. 4884

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of a fraud, waste, and abuse hotline and a

duty to provide employees and the public with certain hotline

information.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 38.0043 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.0043. POSTING FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE HOTLINE

INFORMATION. Each public school and open-enrollment charter school

shall prominently post the telephone number for the fraud, waste,

and abuse hotline established under Section 321.024, Government

Code, and information relating to reporting suspected fraud, waste,

and abuse to the hotline:

(1) on the school's Internet website; and

(2) in each physical administrative office maintained

by the school.

SECTION 2. Chapter 321, Government Code, is amended by

adding Section 321.024 to read as follows:

Sec. 321.024. FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE HOTLINE; REPORT. (a)

The State Auditor shall operate a telephone hotline for submission

of reports of suspected fraud, waste, and abuse.

(b) The State Auditor shall refer each submitted report of

suspected fraud, waste, or abuse to the appropriate state agency.

On receipt of the report, the state agency shall investigate the

suspected fraud, waste, or abuse and on completion of the

investigation disclose the results of the investigation to the

State Auditor.

(c) Not later than September 1 of each odd-numbered year,

the State Auditor shall prepare and submit to the legislature and

each standing committee having jurisdiction over state agency

fraud, waste, and abuse a report summarizing:

(1) any reports of suspected fraud, waste, or abuse

submitted to the hotline;

(2) each state agency to which the State Auditor

referred for investigation a report of suspected fraud, waste, or

abuse; and

(3) the results of any investigation conducted by a

state agency after referral of a report of suspected fraud, waste,

or abuse.

SECTION 3. Subtitle B, Title 6, Government Code, is amended

by adding Chapter 674 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 674. INFORMATION RELATING TO FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE

HOTLINE

Sec. 674.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state agency"

has the meaning assigned by Section 2054.003.

Sec. 674.002. REQUIRED INFORMATION ON FRAUD, WASTE, AND

ABUSE HOTLINE. A state agency shall provide to each new employee

the telephone number for the fraud, waste, and abuse hotline

established under Section 321.024 and information on the procedure

for submitting a report of suspected fraud, waste, or abuse to the

hotline.

SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 2054.139 to read as follows:

Sec. 2054.139. REQUIRED POSTING OF FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE

HOTLINE INFORMATION. Each state agency and local government shall

prominently post the telephone number for the fraud, waste, and

abuse hotline established under Section 321.024 and information on

the procedure for submitting a report of suspected fraud, waste, or

abuse to the hotline:

(1) on the agency's or local government's Internet

website; and

(2) in each physical administrative office maintained

by the agency or local government.

SECTION 5. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 180.011 to read as follows:

Sec. 180.011. REQUIRED INFORMATION ON FRAUD, WASTE, AND

ABUSE HOTLINE. (a) In this section, "political subdivision" has

the meaning assigned by Section 180.008.

(b) A political subdivision shall provide to each new

employee the telephone number for the fraud, waste, and abuse

hotline established under Section 321.024, Government Code, and

information on the procedure for submitting a report of suspected

fraud, waste, or abuse to the hotline.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.