HB1984

Report Title:

Core Government Functions Advisory Commission

 

Description:

Establishes the core government functions advisory commission to identify standards and criteria to determine core government functions, specify each core government program as either "core" or "non-core", rank non-core programs by relative relationship to core government functions, and propose legislation to eliminate or modify sufficient non-core and, if necessary, core government programs to aggregate a 6% reduction in state government costs in fiscal biennium 2003-2005. Requires the legislature to vote to approve or disapprove the advisory commission's proposed legislation unamended.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1984
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to state government.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purposes of this Act are to ensure that scarce state resources are devoted to core government functions as specified in the Hawaii state plan and functional plans, to provide a mechanism by which all state government programs may be classified according to whether they implement core government functions, and to establish a procedure by which the costs of state government may be reduced through the elimination or modification of non-core government function programs.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the legislature, for administrative purposes, the core government functions advisory commission. The commission is deemed to be temporary and for a special purpose in order to satisfy the requirements of article V, section 6 of the state constitution.

(b) The purposes of the advisory commission shall be to:

(1) Determine whether and to what extent state programs implement core government functions as specified in the Hawaii state plan and functional plans; and

(2) Recommend how core government functions can be improved through the elimination, reorganization, or improvement of programs deemed non-core programs or the redistribution of their resources, or both; and

(3) Recommend how the state operating budget for fiscal biennium 2003-2005 can be reduced by a minimum of three percentage points each fiscal year through the elimination, reorganization, or improvement of programs deemed non-core programs.

(c) Composition:

(1) The advisory commission shall be composed of thirteen members, appointed as follows: one each by the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the chief justice, and each of the mayors of the respective counties, and four by the governor; and

(2) The appointees of advisory commission members shall strive to the extent possible to appoint a commission representative of the community, including business and labor organizations, and state and county government; and

(3) The advisory commission shall appoint a chairperson from among its own members.

(d) The advisory commission shall have the following duties:

(1) Determine, utilizing whatever information and expertise is available to it, standards and criteria for the identification of core government functions by reference to the goals, objectives, policies, and priorities specified in the Hawaii state plan and functional plans;

(2) Complete a fair and credible review of each state program to determine whether, as operated or as modified, it implements a core government function; and

(3) Determine, by reference to the core government functions standards and criteria identified under subsection (1) and the determination under subsection (2), what programs may be eliminated or modified in order to realize a reduction in the state operating budget for fiscal biennium 2003-2005 by at least three percentage points each fiscal year.

(e) The advisory commission's work shall be divided into two phases. Phase I shall consist of a basic review of each state program in accordance with subsection (d). A basic program review shall result in each state program being designated as "core" or "non-core" in terms of whether it does or does not implement a core government function as identified by the commission. Phase II shall consist of a ranking of non-core programs and, if necessary, core programs with the goal of identifying a sufficient level of non-core and, if necessary, core programs with total current expenditures equaling six per cent of the current state operating budget.

(f) The advisory commission shall collect and analyze the following information in relation to each program:

(1) The legal authority for the program;

(2) The needs addressed by the program, including the consequences that would occur if it did not exist;

(3) The goals and objectives of the program;

(4) The major activities of the program;

(5) Direct services to individuals and communities provided by the program;

(6) The target groups served by the program;

(7) The budget for the program in terms of dollars and full-time equivalent personnel;

(8) Evidence of the program's effectiveness;

(9) Client satisfaction and perceptions of program value, if available; and

(10) The specific elements of core government functions that are addressed by the program.

(g) The advisory commission shall utilize the following criteria to determine core government functions standards and criteria:

(1) The importance or centrality of the program to the Hawaii state plan and functional plans;

(2) The extent to which the program provides direct services to individuals or communities, or both;

(3) The extent to which the program is needed in order to ensure individuals' health, safety, and civil rights; and

(4) The extent to which the program is needed in order to comply with legal mandates.

SECTION 3. (a) The core government functions advisory commission shall submit its findings and recommendations to the legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2003.

(b) As part of its findings and recommendations, the advisory commission shall propose legislation to eliminate, reorganize, or improve designated programs or redistribute their resources, or both, in order to reduce the state operating budget for fiscal biennium 2003-2005 by a minimum of three percentage points each fiscal year.

(c) Each house of the legislature during the regular session of 2003 shall vote to either accept or reject the commission's proposed legislation, without amending the same.

SECTION 4. The core government functions advisory commission shall cease to exist after June 30, 2003.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, to carry out the purposes of this Act. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the legislature.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________