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2010 SESSION

10101469D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 80
Offered January 13, 2010
Prefiled January 12, 2010
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study implementing zero-based budgeting to determine its utility in the Commonwealth. Report.
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Patrons-- Bell, Richard P. and Cole
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the United States is experiencing its most serious recession since the 1930s; and

WHEREAS, the current 2008-2010 Appropriation Act has already been reduced by in excess of $7 billion; and

WHEREAS, virtually every part of the state budget has been reduced in order to make up the $7 billion of budget reductions in the current 2008-2010 Appropriation Act; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia, because of the severity of the budget reductions, needs to examine every possible way to reduce state spending to match the decline in revenue; and

WHEREAS, zero-based budgeting is a proven budget approach that requires budgets to be built from zero rather than from a previous year's budget level; and

WHEREAS, if Virginia could identify a limited number of state agencies to implement zero-based budgeting, it could help Virginia reduce state spending, prioritize spending, and navigate the current budget crises; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study implementing zero-based budgeting to determine its utility in the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 10 members that shall consist of eight legislative members and two ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates and three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The Secretary of Finance and the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall identify a limited number of state agencies to implement zero-based budgeting and determine if cost savings from this budget technique could be realized by the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall determine whether this budget technique should be implemented by all state agencies.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Planning and Budget. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2010 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $8,000 without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2010, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2011 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2010 interim.