I am challenging all of my colleagues in Dover to join me in reforming Delaware’s lawmaking process. I am asking them to join me in supporting rule changes that disallow last minute votes on bills that have not been adequately vetted. I am asking them to support rule changes that disallow the use of “suspension of rules” to bring bills to the floor that have not been vetted by a committee or the general public. I ask them to pass legislation that will create an independent Office of Inspector General that will be able to oversee and investigate possible corruption, ethics violations, and hidden conflicts of interest.
All of our constituents expect and deserve an elected government that is open and transparent. Delawareans expect and deserve answers as to why their elected public servants voted for or against issues and policies and they expect those decisions to be made in their best interests.
Delaware’s government has often failed to deliver that transparency and openness in its decision making process. Delaware rules, or lack of rules, has often allowed special interests and lobbyists who represent the most powerful and richest groups in the state to dictate policies and decisions.
One cannot have good government without open and transparent government. One cannot guarantee good government without independent oversight and scrutiny of the lawmaking process and an accounting of the agendas and interests of lawmakers’ decisions.
Delawareans deserve to have a lawmaking body that has a common sense process that allows just and timely consideration of all legislation and guarantees that motives, intentions, or agendas of every lawmaker involved in this process can be scrutinized to ensure ethical and honest decisions.
John Kowalko
State Representative
25th District
In 2007, I co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to create an Office of the Inspector General. HB 155 passed the House but was never given a vote in the Senate.
Read House Bill 155 (144th General Assembly): http://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=17679
Recent news coverage:
Delaware Public Media: https://www.delawarepublic.org/post/open-government-advocates-urge-ethics-oversight-wake-kent-county-lodging-tax-questions