Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Some Kentucky lawmakers are hoping to model the new presidential administration’s increased focus on transparency and eliminating waste.

If Kentucky were to create its own Office of Government Efficiency under this bill, it wouldn’t exactly mirror the cuts we’re seeing by the similarly named DOGE in Washington, D.C. Instead, the bill would make use of the existing powers of Kentucky’s auditor.

“This is a continuing effort of fiscal responsibility,” the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor (R-Smithfield), said to lawmakers at a committee meeting on Monday.

Tichenor said the intent of the bill is to see more accountability and transparency with how Kentucky spends taxpayer money. Senate Bill 257 would create a dedicated Office of Government Efficiency that operates within the existing Auditor of Public Accounts office. It would require annual performance audits of state agencies to identify waste and opportunities to cut costs.

“It’s been sort of left to the wayside for the last few administrations. And that’s really a matter of resources. There hasn’t been the staffing; there has been the funding available to do that kind of work,’ Auditor Allison Ball explained to lawmakers.

Ball said this is technically nothing new, and the office already has the power to do performance audits. By putting this into law, it makes them an annual requirement, with the findings required to be published in a report each year to the governor and the Legislative Research Commission. The office would not have the power to make cuts itself.

“That should give people a lot of comfort that there are guidelines. We’re not just making stuff up and just sort of looking through things; there are guidelines for how to figure out ‘is this efficient,’” Ball explained.

Ball said the office would not need any new money right now to start hiring personnel and would lean on existing money the office is able to generate but needs the legislative green light to use. Unlike the federal DOGE, this would be a permanent function of the auditor’s office.

Senate budget chair Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights) voted in favor of the proposal, but not without underscoring the need to understand the full scope of the bill.

“This is one of those situations where if we get it right, it will do wonderful things. If we get it wrong, we will embarrass ourselves, and we have to be right,” McDaniel said.

The bill passed committee with 9 members in favor and a single Democrat passing.