Merit Institute Merit

The Delaware Government Transparency & Performance Act (DE-GT&P)

Delaware state companion to GT&P. Strengthens the Delaware Freedom of Information Act, inspector-general independence, and extends state-law whistleblower rewards under the Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act (Del. Code Title 6 § 1201 et seq.).

THE DELAWARE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & PERFORMANCE ACT (DE-GT&P)

Vehicle: State passage. Delaware General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Judiciary / Administration.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Delaware Government Transparency & Performance Act (DE-GT&P).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that the Delaware Freedom of Information Act operates under Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 100; that the State Auditor operates under Del. Code Title 29; and that the Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act, Del. Code Title 6 Sec. 1201 et seq., authorizes qui tam relators. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with collective bargaining and merit-system protections.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH DELAWARE LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Delaware FOIA” means Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 100.
  2. (b) “DEFCA” means the Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act, Del. Code Title 6 Sec. 1201 et seq.
  3. (c) “State performance data” means outcome measures published by State agencies.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Delaware Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 100 (FOIA).
  • Del. Code Title 6 Sec. 1201 et seq. (DEFCA).
  • Del. Code Title 29 Ch. 59 (merit system, whistleblower protections).
  • Collective bargaining under Del. Code Title 19.

TITLE II — STATE PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD

Sec. 201. Dashboard

  1. (a) The Office of Management and Budget shall publish a Delaware Performance Dashboard in machine-readable form, updated at least quarterly, crosswalked to Federal FPD.

TITLE III — OPEN RECORDS

Sec. 301. FOIA Strengthening

  1. (a) Reduce response time to 15 business days absent extraordinary circumstances under Del. Code Title 29 Sec. 10003.
  2. (b) Mandatory fee waivers for public-interest requesters.
  3. (c) Attorney General FOIA enforcement strengthened under Del. Code Title 29 Sec. 10005.

TITLE IV — INSPECTOR-GENERAL INDEPENDENCE

Sec. 401. Inspector-General Protections

  1. (a) Removal for cause only; findings reported to Presiding Officers.
  2. (b) Budgetary and staffing independence for the State Auditor and agency inspectors general.

TITLE V — WHISTLEBLOWER AND QUI TAM

Sec. 501. DEFCA Strengthening

  1. (a) Amendments to Del. Code Title 6 Sec. 1201 et seq. to (i) confirm relator share ranges, (ii) strengthen retaliation remedies under Del. Code Title 19 Ch. 17, (iii) clarify public-disclosure bar.
  2. (b) Full collective-bargaining protections preserved under Del. Code Title 19.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on July 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: GT&P. Other Delaware bills: DE-ACSA, DE-MEWRA, DE-AI-Workforce.