2018 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 39 - Public Finance
RS 39:21.3 - Consensus estimating conferences; duties and principals
§21.3. Consensus estimating conferences; duties and principals
A. Economic Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Economic Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to the national and state economies as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. The basic long term forecasts which are a part of the official information shall be trend forecasts. The conference may include cycle forecasts as a part of its official information if the subject matter of the forecast warrants a cycle forecast and if such forecast is developed in a special impact session of the conference.
(2) Principals. The principals of the conference are as follows:
(a) A staff member from the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A staff member from the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A faculty member from a public or private university or college in Louisiana who shall have forecasting expertise to be selected by the other four principals of the conference from a list of not less than three nor more than five nominees submitted by the Board of Regents after the board consults with the president of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. At the initial meeting of the conference, the principals shall elect a principal to preside over the meetings of the conference. Thereafter, the responsibility for presiding over sessions of the conference shall rotate annually among the principals.
B. Demographic Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Demographic Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to the population of the nation and state by age, race, and sex as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system.
(2) Principals. The principals of the conference are as follows:
(a) A staff member from the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A staff member from the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A faculty member from a public or private university or college in Louisiana who shall have forecasting expertise to be selected by the other four principals of the conference from a list of not less than three nor more than five nominees submitted by the Board of Regents after the board consults with the president of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. At the initial meeting of the conference, the principals shall elect a principal to preside over the meetings of the conference. Thereafter, the responsibility for presiding over sessions of the conference shall rotate annually among the principals.
C. Education Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Education Estimating Conference shall develop such official information relating to the state public educational system, including forecasts of student enrollment and the availability of qualified teachers. The conference shall forward its forecast for student enrollment to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and to each local school board at least forty-five days prior to adoption of the forecast. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the local school boards may request adjustments in the forecast and shall submit any request for adjustment to the Education Estimating Conference in writing within thirty days of the date of receipt of the forecast of student enrollment from the conference. The conference shall consider all requests for adjustment that are submitted in compliance with this Paragraph in adopting official information regarding student enrollment.
(2) Principals. The principals of the conference are as follows:
(a) A staff member from the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A staff member from the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Education who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. The principal representing the office of the governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
D. Criminal and Juvenile Justice Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Criminal and Juvenile Justice Estimating Conference shall develop such official information relating to the criminal justice system and the juvenile justice system, including forecasts of prison and detention center population and supervised caseload, as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system.
(2) Principals. The principals of the conference are as follows:
(a) A staff member from the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A staff member from the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
(f) A member of the professional staff of youth services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who shall have forecasting expertise, to be appointed by the deputy secretary for youth services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. The principal representing the office of the governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
E. Health and Social Services Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Health and Social Services Estimating Conference shall develop such official information relating to the health and social service system of the state, including forecasts of social and health service caseloads, as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system.
(2) Principals. The principals of the Health and Social Services Estimating Conference are as follows:
(a) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, or his designee.
(b) The chairman of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, or his designee.
(c) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, or his designee.
(d) The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, or his designee.
(e) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, or his designee.
(f) The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, or his designee.
(g) A member of the professional staff of the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(h) A member of the professional staff of the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(i) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(j) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(k) A member of the professional staff of the Louisiana Department of Health who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
(l) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Children and Family Services who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services.
(m) The legislative fiscal officer, or his designee who shall have healthcare experience.
(n) A faculty member specializing in healthcare economics from a public or private university in the state, selected by the other principal members, from a list of as many as five, but not less than three names, submitted to them by the Board of Regents.
(o) All professional staff members serving as principals shall collaborate with the appropriate departments to provide the data necessary for the conference, or subcommittee of the conference, to fulfill the duties specified in Paragraphs (1) and (4) of this Subsection.
(3) Principals to preside over meetings. The chairmanship of the conference shall rotate annually among the four legislative committee chairmen serving as principals, in the following order:
(a) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
(b) The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
(c) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.
(d) The chairman of the House Committee on Health and Welfare.
(4) Conference meetings. The conference shall meet at least quarterly to receive information from the Medicaid Subcommittee.
(5) Medicaid Subcommittee. There shall be a Medicaid Subcommittee of the conference responsible for developing forecasts and reviewing information related to the Medicaid Program, including but not limited to the number of Medicaid enrollees, the eligibility criteria under which individuals are enrolling, the rate of utilization of services and growth in the cost of services, provider reimbursement methodologies, and the factors considered in developing the per-member-per-month premiums paid to the Medicaid managed care companies.
(a) The membership of the subcommittee shall consist of the following principals of the conference:
(i) The member of the professional staff of the division of administration appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(ii) The member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal expertise and is appointed by the president of the Senate.
(iii) The member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal expertise and is appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(iv) The member of the professional staff of the Louisiana Department of Health who shall have forecasting expertise and is appointed by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
(v) The legislative fiscal officer, or his designee who shall have health care experience.
(vi) The faculty member specializing in healthcare economics selected by the members of the conference.
(b) The chairmanship of the subcommittee shall rotate biennially among the professional legislative staff appointed by the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives, beginning with the professional Senate staff member.
(c) The subcommittee shall meet as follows:
(i) In September, to establish an initial forecast for the ensuing fiscal year which shall be utilized by the Louisiana Department of Health in formulating its budget request.
(ii) In December, to revise the forecast for the ensuing fiscal year which shall be utilized in the preparation of the executive budget recommendations by the state budget office.
(iii) In April, to revise the forecast for the ensuing fiscal year which shall be utilized by the legislature in its adoption of a state budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
(iv) In July, to discuss the forecast for the current fiscal year as compared to the current year appropriation.
(v) In addition to considering the forecast, the subcommittee may also review any aspects of the Medicaid program as provided for in Paragraph (4) of this Subsection at its regularly scheduled meetings or any additional meetings, as necessary.
(vi) Any principal of the conference may request that the subcommittee meet to discuss a specific issue.
(d) The subcommittee shall submit a report to the conference summarizing all topics discussed and any actions taken at each meeting.
(e) The subcommittee shall submit each adopted forecast to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for its review. The chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget shall place the presentation of the Medicaid forecast on the agenda for discussion at the next month's meeting following the submission by the subcommittee.
F. Transportation Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Transportation Estimating Conference shall develop official information relating to transportation planning and budgeting as is determined by the conference principals to be needed for the state planning and budgeting system.
(2) Principals. The principals of the Transportation Estimating Conference are as follows:
(a) A member of the professional staff of the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A member of the professional staff of the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Transportation and Development who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. The principal representing the office of the governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
G. Group Benefits Estimating Conference.
(1) Duties. The Group Benefits Estimating Conference shall develop or gather official information relating to group health and life insurance planning, premium rates, and budgeting as is determined by the conference principals to be needed for the state planning and budgeting system.
(2) Principals. The principals of the Group Benefits Estimating Conference are as follows:
(a) A member of the professional staff of the office of the governor to be appointed by the governor.
(b) A member of the professional staff of the division of administration to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(c) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
(d) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have fiscal experience to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(e) A member of the professional staff of the Office of Group Benefits who shall have fiscal experience to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(f) An individual with a minimum of five years professional experience or fiscal expertise in the industries of health insurance, actuarial services, financial services, or banking to be selected by the other principals from a list of no more than two names submitted by each of the following: the commissioner of insurance, the commissioner of financial institutions, and the legislative auditor.
(3) Principal to preside over meetings. The principal representing the office of the governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
Acts 1990, No. 966, §2, eff. July 1, 1990; Acts 2004, No. 7, §3, eff. May 5, 2004; Acts 2004, No. 33, §3; Acts 2012, No. 251, §7A; Acts 2015, No. 146, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; Acts 2016, No. 586, §1; Acts 2018, No. 651, §1, eff. June 1, 2018.
