2011 Vermont Code
Title 02 Legislature
Chapter 28 GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE
§ 970 Government accountability committee

§ 970. Government accountability committee

(a) There is created a joint legislative government accountability committee. The committee shall recommend mechanisms for state government to be more forward-thinking, strategic, and responsive to the long-term needs of Vermonters. In pursuit of this goal, the committee shall:

(1) Propose areas for the review of statutory mandates for public services that may result in service duplication and to review the alignment of financial and staff resources required to carry out those mandates.

(2) Review the legislative process for the creation and elimination of positions and programs and make recommendations for enhancements to the process that support greater long-range planning and responsiveness to the needs of Vermonters.

(3) Recommend strategies and tools which permit all branches of state government to prioritize the investment of federal, state, and local resources in programs that respond to the needs of the citizens of Vermont in a collaborative, cost-effective, and efficient manner. Pursuant to those strategies and tools, functions which are not critical to an agency or department mission may be recommended for combination or elimination, while other functions may be optimized.

(4) Review strategies with similar aims in other jurisdictions in the context of federal, state, and local relationships.

(5) Determine that data-based performance measures have been adopted for each agency and department.

(6) Determine whether each agency and department is taking actions to achieve the required outcomes, as shown by application of the data-based performance measures.

(7) Ensure that outcomes, measures, performance data, and descriptions of actions taken, or proposed to be taken, are transparent and readily accessible to the public via electronic publication.

(8) Assess the effectiveness of the performance measures for measuring progress in achieving outcomes.

(9) Recommend the addition, amendment, or elimination of any performance measures.

(10) By November 1 of each year, report to the general assembly its findings.

(b) The membership of the committee shall be appointed each biennial session of the general assembly. The committee shall comprise 12 members: six members of the house of representatives who shall not all be from the same party: one from the committee on government operations, one from the committee on human services, one from the committee on appropriations, one from the committee on ways and means, one from the committee on education, and one from the committee on corrections and institutions, appointed by the speaker of the house; and six members of the senate who shall not all be from the same party: one from the committee on government operations, one from the committee on health and welfare, one from the committee on appropriations, one from the committee on finance, one from the committee on education, and one from the committee on institutions, appointed by the committee on committees. The governor shall appoint one person to serve as a nonvoting liaison to the committee.

(c) The committee shall elect a chair, vice chair, and clerk from among its members and shall adopt rules of procedure. The chair shall alternate biennially between the house and the senate members. The committee shall keep minutes of its meetings and maintain a file thereof. A quorum shall consist of seven members.

(d) During the legislative session, the committee shall meet at least once a month, at the call of the chair; and when the legislature is not in session, the committee may meet monthly, at the call of the chair. The committee may meet more often subject to the approval of the speaker of the house and the president pro tempore of the senate.

(e) For attendance at a meeting when the general assembly is not in session, legislative members of the committee shall be entitled to compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses as provided under subsection 406(a) of this title; and nonlegislative members who are not full time state employees shall be entitled to per diem and expenses as provided in 32 V.S.A. { 1010.

(f) The professional and clerical services of the joint fiscal office and the legislative council shall be available to the committee.

(g) At least annually, by January 15, the committee shall report its activities, together with recommendations, if any, to the general assembly. The report shall be in brief summary form. (Added 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), { H2; amended 2009, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), { 21d.)