52:15C-13 Notification from Attorney General relative to investigations, prosecutions.

13. a. When the State Comptroller or the State Inspector General refers a complaint alleging criminal conduct to the Attorney General or other appropriate prosecutorial authority and the Attorney General or prosecutorial authority decides not to investigate or prosecute the matter, the Attorney General or the prosecutorial authority shall promptly notify the State Comptroller and the State Inspector General. The Attorney General or the prosecutorial authority shall inform the State Comptroller and the State Inspector General as to whether an investigation is ongoing with regard to any matter so referred. The State Comptroller and the State Inspector General shall preserve the confidentiality of the existence of any ongoing criminal investigation.

If the Attorney General or the prosecutorial authority decides not to investigate or act upon the matter referred by the State Comptroller or the State Inspector General, the State Comptroller shall refer the matter to the State Inspector General after the receipt of such a notice.

Upon completion of an investigation or, in a case where the investigation leads to prosecution, upon completion of the prosecution, the Attorney General or the prosecutorial authority shall report promptly the findings and results to the State Comptroller and the State Inspector General. In the course of informing the State Comptroller and the State Inspector General, the Attorney General or prosecutorial authority shall give full consideration to the authority, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the State Comptroller and the State Inspector General, the public interest in disclosure, and the need for protecting the confidentiality of complainants and informants.

b. With respect to referrals to the State Inspector General, the State Inspector General shall report to the State Comptroller promptly when a final determination is made to not investigate or act upon the matter referred, or promptly upon completion of the investigation or action taken. The State Inspector General shall inform the State Comptroller as to whether an investigation is ongoing with regard to any matter so referred.

In the course of informing the State Comptroller, the State Inspector General shall give full consideration to the authority, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the State Comptroller, the public interest in disclosure, and the need for protecting the confidentiality of complainants and informants.

If the State Inspector General decides not to investigate or act upon the matter referred, the State Comptroller is authorized to continue an investigation after the receipt of such a notice.

c. The State Comptroller shall maintain a record of all matters referred and the responses received and shall be authorized to disclose information received as appropriate and as may be necessary to resolve the matter referred, to the extent consistent with the public interest in disclosure and the need for protecting the confidentiality of complainants and informants and preserving the confidentiality of ongoing criminal investigations.

L.2007, c.52, s.13.