US States Setting Up Their Own 'DOGE'

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Martha McHardy

By Martha McHardy

US News Reporter

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Several Republican-led states are following President Donald Trump's lead in creating their own versions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE's aggressive cost-cutting measures are poised to reshape numerous facets of the federal government. The department recommended the firing of more than 200,000 federal workers since January, and about 75,000 probationary federal employees have accepted buyout plans known as "deferred resignations," per the Office of Personnel Management.

Affected departments include the Department of Education, Small Business Administration, U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Department of Justice (DOJ), among others. USAID has faced the most drastic cuts at $6.5 billion, according to receipts on DOGE's official website. The Trump administration is also set to make cuts at the Department of Defense.

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Amid the cuts, GOP governors and lawmakers are setting up their own government efficiency task forces and committees to find ways to cut state spending.

US States Setting Up Their Own 'DOGE'

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Florida

Governor Ron DeSantis launched a "DOGE task force" to audit spending, cut bureaucracy and eliminate DEI programs.

"We are creating a state DOGE task force that will implement a multi-pronged approach to eliminating bureaucratic bloat and modernizing our state government to best serve the people of Florida in the years ahead," DeSantis said during a Monday press conference in Tampa.

Florida's DOGE task force will operate for one year, using artificial intelligence to audit state agencies, universities and local governments to identify potential budget cuts.

To fully implement the task force, DeSantis would likely need the support of Florida's GOP-controlled Legislature. But DeSantis said at the press conference that he has been in discussions with legislative leaders about giving the state's DOGE team authority to enforce the audits.

Georgia

The state Senate passed a bill on Monday aimed at reducing costs and increasing accountability for state agencies by having them review and update rules and regulations every four years.

Senate Democrats voted against the bill, accusing Republicans of trying to bring DOGE to Georgia. But Republicans have denied that the bill has anything to do with DOGE.

"This bill is in the spirit of DOGE but functionally it is very different," said Republican state Senator Greg Dolezal of Cumming, the bill's sponsor, according to the Associated Press.

The bill will now go to the House for consideration.

Iowa

On Wednesday, Governor Kim Reynolds announced the creation of an official state DOGE task force during a congressional panel.

Emily Schmitt, general counsel of Sukup Manufacturing, will lead the Iowa DOGE task force, but Reynolds has not yet announced other details about it.

During the panel, Reynolds praised her state's small government and cost-cutting efforts that were in place before Musk's agency was formed.

Iowa has been "doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing," she said, according to the Des Moines Register.

"Like most Americans, I'm thrilled by the priority President Trump is placing on shrinking government and making it work better. Not only do I believe that Iowa is a model, but I'm committed to doing everything I can to help in the months ahead and I look forward to working with you and the Trump administration to do just that."

Kansas

In early February, the state Senate established the "Committee on Government Efficiency," or "COGE," to find ways to improve the state's operations and reduce waste. According to a release from Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, the committee has introduced the Government Efficiency Portal on the Kansas Legislature website. This portal allows residents to submit ideas for making government more efficient through a simple form.

"One of the reasons we created COGE was to receive ideas directly from Kansans on how government can operate more efficiently and effectively," Masterson said in the release. "This easy-to-access portal allows the public to submit ideas that the committee can then study and potentially turn into legislation."

The Kansas Senate Committee on Government Efficiency is now reportedly reviewing a bill that would remove certain state filing requirements related to labor groups, tax breaks and water rights. Officials say these filings are often duplicated in other offices and create unnecessary work. If approved, the bill could save 400 hours of IT labor initially and 50 hours each year. While the savings are small, lawmakers hope it will inspire other agencies to cut waste.

Missouri

Like Kansas, Missouri also has its own DOGE task force that has created its own DOGE portal.

Committee Chair Mary Elizabeth Coleman is urging residents to use the portal to highlight inefficiencies and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, according to KZRG. The committee, also referred to as the Missouri DOGE, will review the submissions and integrate public input into its initiatives.

The committee also plans to ensure that state agencies are held accountable for what they deem as wasteful government spending. The Missouri DOGE is reportedly proposing a bill to establish a new "Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency." The office would conduct "performance evaluations" on state agencies for inefficiencies and compliance with state law, according to a draft of the legislation obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"I think most people agree that government is not as efficient as it should be and is not as responsive as it should be, and we want to look at that," state Representative Ben Baker told the Post-Dispatch.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire also recently announced the creation of its DOGE offshoot: COGE.

In a press release, the governor's office said COGE will help New Hampshire "find better ways to do things with fewer taxpayer dollars."

"Because I know nothing is harder than getting politicians to not spend money, today I am announcing the creation of the Commission on Government Efficiency, or as I like to call it—the 'COGE,'" Governor Kelly Ayotte said in her inaugural address last month.

The newly formed committee will focus on providing recommendations aimed at streamlining government operations, cutting unnecessary spending, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used as efficiently as possible.

Ayotte emphasized that, while the state strives to find savings, the committee's work will not come at the expense of the state's most vulnerable citizens.

"Most importantly, COGE will help us do all of this while honoring our unbreakable commitment to provide for our most vulnerable citizens who depend on the services our state government provides," Ayotte said in a statement.

North Carolina

In January, state House Speaker Destin Hall announced the creation of the interim "Select Committee on Government Efficiency" aimed at examining state and local government operations for inefficiencies, waste and constitutional violations.

The committee will investigate areas including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, excess state property, and other potential areas of wasteful government spending.

"Unnecessary government bloat and waste hurt North Carolina taxpayers' wallets and divert funds that could be used for core functions such as public safety and education," Hall said.

The committee will hold organizational meetings during the 2025-2026 session.

Oklahoma

In February, Governor Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2025-04, establishing the Division of Government Efficiency (DOGE-OK) within the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). The new division aims to reduce wasteful government spending, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively across the state.

DOGE-OK will collaborate with state agencies and officials to identify areas of inefficiency and eliminate unnecessary spending. The executive order also creates the position of chief DOGE adviser, who will oversee the division's efforts and report directly to Stitt. The adviser will have full access to agency budgets, operations and IT systems to carry out their responsibilities.

By March 31, DOGE-OK is required to submit a report outlining efficiency strategies, fiscal reform recommendations and specific findings related to agency budgets.

"Today, I'm launching DOGE-OK to keep the focus on flat budgets and limiting government," Stitt said. "Our top responsibility as leaders is ensuring we are working on behalf of all four million Oklahomans in the most efficient way possible. DOGE-OK will help identify and root out inefficiencies and government waste. It's an essential part of making us a top ten state."

South Carolina

Legislators have introduced measures to create the state's own DOGE committee.

The House and Senate introduced a joint resolution to create the Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency and it was renamed the Delivery of Government Efficiency Commission.

The bill, SJR 318, cleared the state Senate this week. If the resolution is approved, a nine-member commission would have until October 1 to comb through agencies' spending and find places to cut costs.

"We don't have an Elon Musk in South Carolina, but it'll be similar to what's going on in Washington," the bill's House sponsor, Majority Leader Davey Hiott, told the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

State Senator Stephen Goldfinch told WPDE: "The aim of the bill I introduced last week is to try to eliminate some of that excess growth. Some of that excess government, some of that excess regulation, and to make government work better for the people."

Texas

Lawmakers have established a 13-member Delivery of Government Efficiency, which aims to eliminate "inefficiencies" within state agencies, KTBC in Austin reported. The committee will be made up of eight Republicans and five Democrats.

The purpose of the committee is to "reduce the size and scope of the government," according to a statement Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows delivered on the House floor.

It "is tasked with tackling inefficiencies in government services, reviewing agency regulations, and overseeing cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies," according to a report by Texas Policy Research, a conservative policy organization.

"For advocates of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and regulatory reform, this committee represents a unique opportunity to reduce bureaucratic waste, enhance transparency, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely."

Texas DOGE's jurisdiction will also include oversight of the Department of Information Resources, the Texas Space Commission and the Sunset Advisory Commission.

However, the committee hasn't yet held a meeting or offered concrete information on how it will curtail state spending.

"We're going to cut red tape," Burrows said last week. "We need to be looking down at our own inefficient government as well. Yes, we do have inefficiencies in our own Legislature."

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick listed the DOGE bill among his top priorities for the legislative session.

Wisconsin

In December, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced the formation of the "GOAT" committee, or Government Operations, Accountability and Transparency.

Republican state Representative Amanda Nedweski said the committee will examine the overall structure of state government while also focusing on specific issues like regulatory reform, the use of state office space, and exploring how Wisconsin can use technology, including artificial intelligence, to boost efficiency.

"There's a lot of things that can be reviewed and spending that can be shifted without being cut so we're more efficiently and productively using our resources," she said.

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