Addiego, Burzichelli bill would create position overseeing ombudspeople, comptrollers

Who watches the watchdogs?

A new bill, sponsored by State Sen. Dawn Addiego (D-Evesham) and Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro), seeks to answer that question by creating a post to oversee 17 state ombudspeople, compliance officers and comptrollers.

“State Ombudspersons are charged with the important task of investigating and addressing complaints of a department subject to state supervision,” Burzichelli said. “When those complaints go unheard and ignored, it can become a bigger, systemic issue that must be addressed immediately. This would be the job of the Chief Accountability Officer as a watchdog for the rights of New Jersey citizens.”

The new position would be filled by gubernatorial appointment subject to Senate approval. Chief accountability officers would serve five-year terms, be responsible for overseeing audits, investigations and reviews conducted by the state offices and report directly to the governor.

The bill was spurred in part by the coming resignation of Corrections Ombudsman Dan DiBenedetti.

DiBenedetti announced he would resign shortly after a poor showing before a joint hearing of the Assembly Judiciary and Women and Children Committees on inmate abuses at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, the state’s only women’s prison.

“After recently learning of the failures of the Department of Correction’s ombudsperson, it is clear we need to do more to oversee the work of those charged with holding government agencies accountable,” Addiego said. “Taxpayers expect and deserve no less.”