SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1107        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1634

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a legislative fiscal office.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Carmine L. Gentile

13th Middlesex

 

Kevin J. Kuros

8th Worcester

 

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Brian A. Joyce

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

2/19/2015


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1107        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1634

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1634) of James B. Eldridge, David M. Rogers, Jason M. Lewis, Carmine L. Gentile and other members of the General Court for legislation to establish a legislative fiscal office.  State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a legislative fiscal office.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 69 the following section:-

Section 70. (a) There shall be a permanent legislative fiscal office to serve as a service agency for the Legislature, which shall consist of a director and deputy director and staff to assist the director and deputy director. The director and deputy director shall be appointed by joint decision of the Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of Administration and Finance, House Chairman of Ways and Means and Senate Chairman of Ways and Means. The director, deputy director and staff shall have substantial experience in financial management, accounting or other related fields.

(b) The legislative fiscal office shall research and provide assistance and analysis legislators, legislative staff and legislative committees on the fiscal impact of proposed legislation or the state budget. The findings and recommendations of the office are not binding upon the Legislature, but an independent assessment of costs and proposal of statutory changes to produce a more cost-sensible and effective proposal. Legislators can request that costs of a proposed bill be reviewed at any time during the legislative process, and if such a review is requested, the review shall be completed prior to the reporting of the bill from its current committee.

The legislative fiscal office shall have the following responsibilities:

(1) Providing fiscal analysis on proposed legislation

(2) Analyzing Governor’s proposed budget

(3) Following each legislative session, the office shall prepare a report detailing all appropriations of Legislature including, but not limited to, data concerning final fiscal year budget, supplemental budgets, bonds, tax incentives and fiscal impact of bills signed into law during the legislative session.

(c)  The funds for the operations of the legislative fiscal office shall be appropriated by the Legislature from the state general fund from year to year and shall be included in and constitute a separate item in the act appropriating funds for the expenses of the Legislature. 

(d) The books and records of the legislative fiscal office shall be subject to audit by the State Auditor’s Office.