Budget Amendment ID: FY2014-S3-104

GOV 104

ZERO-BASED BUDGETING

Messrs. Tarr, Hedlund, Knapik, Ross and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section __, the following sections:-

“SECTION__.  Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as inserted by chapter 165 of the Acts of 2012, is hereby amended by inserting after section 5H the following section:-

Section 5I:

(a) For purposes of this section, “zero-based budget” shall mean a budget: (i) in which the appropriations are developed based on the cost-effective achievement of the tasks and goals of a particular agency or department without regard to prior appropriations, adjusted for inflation or otherwise; (ii) which has a $0 dollar amount as its basis; and (iii) which reflects the amount of funding deemed necessary to achieve the most cost-effective performance of each agency or department.

(b) Not less frequently than every 4 years, the budget filed by the governor under sections 6, 6C, 6D and 7H shall be a zero-based budget. The appropriation or set of appropriations for each agency or department shall be accompanied by a brief description of the tasks and goals of the agency or department for a period not to exceed 4 years, together with the performance measure of the achievement of those tasks and goals, published with the document and made available electronically on the official website of the commonwealth.”

SECTION__. The first zero-based budget required under section 5I of chapter 29 shall be filed under section 7H of said chapter 29 for the fiscal year starting on July 1, 2016.”