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SB 450

Authorizing the secretary of administration to grant a monetary award to a state employee who reports activity that constitutes fraud, waste or abuse of funds in any program administered by a state agency.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas bill authorizes paying state employees who report fraud and waste in state agencies, creating financial incentives for internal whistleblowing without specifying award amounts or retaliation protections.

Died in House Committee
#administration #departmentof #publicofficersandemployees
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Bill Summary · SB 450

Legislative bill overview

SB 450 establishes a monetary award program allowing Kansas's Secretary of Administration to pay state employees who report fraud, waste, or abuse of funds within state agencies. The bill creates financial incentives for internal whistleblowing on misuse of public resources across all state-administered programs.

Why is this important

Fraud and waste of public funds directly reduce resources available for government services and taxpayer value. Whistleblower programs have proven effective at uncovering financial misconduct that might otherwise go undetected, potentially saving states millions in recovered funds and prevented losses.

Potential points of contention

  • Award amount and criteria undefined — The bill grants authority to the Secretary but doesn't specify how much employees can receive, what qualifies for awards, or how decisions are made, potentially creating inconsistent or excessive payouts
  • Retaliation protections absent — The bill doesn't explicitly prohibit retaliation against whistleblowers, which could discourage reporting if employees fear career consequences
  • Budget implications unclear — No funding mechanism or budget cap is specified, raising questions about cost and whether this competes with other state priorities
  • Scope overlap with federal programs — Many state programs receive federal funding with existing federal whistleblower protections, creating potential complexity in determining which violations qualify

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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