Sponsors (9)
The bill increases transparency and accountability around special government employees by requiring timely classification, a 130‑day cap, and a public, accessible SGE database — but it also creates administrative costs, privacy risks, and potential disruption or deterrence for experts who advise the government.
Taxpayers, researchers, watchdogs, and journalists gain searchable, machine-readable public access to covered SGE names, titles, pay, agency, appointment dates, and (subject to limited exceptions) financial disclosures, enabling stronger public oversight and conflict-of-interest analysis.
Individuals who repeatedly serve as SGEs will be limited to 130 days per 365-day period, reducing prolonged informal arrangements and increasing accountability for when people are effectively acting as employees.
Federal workers who serve long‑term as SGEs will be reclassified as employees within 30 days, giving those individuals formal employment status and associated rights and benefits.
Federal agencies and the SGE workforce may face operational disruption: reclassification deadlines, the 130‑day cap, and counting rules (including short compensated days) can create immediate administrative burdens, hiring needs, and loss of flexible advisory arrangements.
Covered SGEs face heightened privacy and security risks because publication of names, titles, pay rates, and public financial disclosures can expose individuals to targeted harassment or reveal sensitive personal information.
OPM and executive agencies will incur implementation and ongoing administrative costs and workload to collect, review, audit, and publish SGE data, diverting staff time and resources and creating recurring expenses for taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Caps SGE service at 130 days/year, requires agency reclassification when exceeded, and creates a public searchable database of covered SGEs and most financial disclosures.
Introduced March 27, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress March 27, 2025
Limits how long outside experts can serve as special Government employees (SGEs) to 130 days in any 365-day period and requires agencies to reclassify anyone who exceeds that limit. Creates a public, searchable, and accessible federal database of covered SGEs with names, titles, pay, appointment dates, agency, and links to financial disclosure reports, plus deadlines and audits to enforce agency reporting. Requires OPM, working with the Office of Government Ethics, to build the database within 210 days, sets short deadlines for agencies to notify OPM of personnel actions, and directs OPM to audit compliance and report to Congress within three years. Some financial disclosure reports will be posted publicly, with limited exceptions for classified material or certain exempted filers.