SENATE DOCKET, NO. 469        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1675

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis

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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 special commission to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies, programs, and services.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 469        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1675

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act establishing a special commission to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies, programs, and services.

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. The Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 11 the following chapter:-

Chapter 11A

Government Efficiencies Commission

SECTION 1. (a) There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations concerning functional overlaps and other redundancies among state agencies and opportunities to promote efficiency and accountability in state government. The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: (i) the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, who shall serve as co-chairs; (ii) the chair of the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight; (iii) the chair of the Senate committee on Post Audit and Oversight; (iv) the House Minority Leader; (v) the Senate Minority Leader; (vi) the State Auditor; (vii) the Assistant Secretary of Commonwealth Performance, Accountability and Transparency; (viii) the State Treasurer; and (ix) 2 members that shall be appointed by the Governor.

(b) The commission shall identify ways to eliminate overlaps and redundancies among state agencies and make other recommendations as the commission considers appropriate with the goal of reducing costs to the commonwealth and enhancing the quality and accessibility of state services to the public. The commission shall consider merging or consolidating state agencies and programs if a merger would reduce costs without adversely impacting the quality of services. The commission shall also seek to identify opportunities to maximize revenues, such as federal grants and matching funds.

(c) The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public. The commission shall review and identify best practices learned from similar efforts in other states, including the state of Connecticut’s Commission on Enhancing Agency Outcomes which submitted its final report on December 30, 2010.

(d) The agency head and staff of each state agency under consideration by the commission shall ensure that any data, information or materials that the commission requests for purposes of its review and deliberations are provided to the commission in a timely manner.

(e) Members of the commission shall be named and the commission shall begin its work within 60 days of the effective date of this act. The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives on or before January 2, 2016. The clerks of the senate and house shall post the report on the website of the general court.