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2002 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 159
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the operations, practices, duties, and funding of the Commonwealth’s agencies, boards, commissions, councils and other governmental entities.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 12, 2002
Agreed to by the Senate, March 5, 2002

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia spends in excess of $25 billion each year and employs a workforce in excess of 112,000 employees; and

WHEREAS, the taxpayers of Virginia expect the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide the goods and services citizens need and desire in the most cost-effective manner; and

WHEREAS, even though the United States and Virginia economies have experienced a record ten-year long expansion of economic activity, most businesses have tried during this time of record-setting economic growth to become more efficient, and to utilize technology and innovation strategies to produce better products and services at less cost to the consumer; and

WHEREAS, the citizens and taxpayers of Virginia expect and deserve from their government the same aggressive cost-cutting and innovative strategies to reduce the cost of the goods and services their state government provides; and

WHEREAS, the best method for instilling confidence in the government of the Commonwealth is to ensure that the government is accountable to its citizenry; and

WHEREAS, it is important to ensure that government entities are accountable and operating as statutorily authorized; and

WHEREAS, all operations of state government must demonstrate accountability by showing its citizens what they are gaining from the use of public funds, how these expenditures benefit their lives or the lives of those they care about, and how efficiently and effectively the funds are used; and

WHEREAS, some governmental entities have never been reviewed during their existence and others have not been reviewed for a long time; and

WHEREAS, there should be strong incentives to encourage all government entities to minimize costs, ensure unnecessary functions are eliminated, and perform the remaining critical functions as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the operations, practices, duties, and funding of the Commonwealth's agencies, boards, commissions, councils and other governmental entities. The joint subcommittee shall be composed of 10 members as follows: 6 members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; and 4 members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) examine the history, budget, and current activities of each governmental entity, (ii) determine whether critical functions are being performed as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, (iii) identify duplicative functions and activities, (iv) determine whether the entity is funded at appropriate levels, (v) compare and evaluate the entity's work and results with its stated statutory mission, and (vi) make recommendations for consolidation, elimination, reduction, or increase of activities and funding of each entity based upon the review.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $25,000.

The Division of Legislative Services and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall provide staff support for the study. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall provide technical assistance.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2003 Session of the General Assembly, and shall complete its work by November 30, 2003, and shall submit its final written findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2004 Session of the General Assembly, as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.