STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman NELSON T. ALBANO
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
Assemblyman MATTHEW W. MILAM
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Directs State Comptroller to identify and recommend certain programmatic budget reductions for certain State agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act directing the State Comptroller to identify and recommend certain programmatic budget reductions for certain State agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities, supplementing Title 52 of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. In addition to the powers and duties granted under section 8 of P.L.2007, c.52 (C.52:15C-8), the State Comptroller shall, on or before March 14, 2008, transmit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), submit to the Legislature a listing of programmatic budget reductions for the State fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2008 totaling not less than ten percent of the revenues recommended for appropriation by the Governor in the Governor's annual budget message delivered to the Legislature on or after February 26, 2008, in accordance with section 11 of P.L.1944, c.112 (C.52:27B-20).
b. In compiling the programmatic budget reductions as required under subsection a. of this section, the State Comptroller shall provide the Governor and the Legislature with a written explanation of each recommended reduction as well as a written assessment of the potential impact, if any, of the proposed reduction on each affected State agency, regulated population, and source of revenue.
c. The State Comptroller shall, on or before March 21, 2008, make the list of programmatic budget reductions and any accompanying data or information transmitted to the Governor or submitted to the Legislature available to the public on an Internet database accessible from the official web site for the State of New Jersey, without charge for access.
d. For State fiscal years commencing on or after July 1, 2009, the State Comptroller shall transmit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), submit to the Legislature a similar list of programmatic budget reductions together with a written explanation of each recommended reduction and a written assessment of the potential impact, if any, of the proposed reduction on each affected State agency, regulated population, and source of revenue. The listing of reductions and any accompanying data or information transmitted to the Governor or submitted to the Legislature shall be made available to the public on an Internet database accessible from the official web site for the State of New Jersey, without charge for access.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the State Comptroller to identify and recommend a series of programmatic budget reductions for the State fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2008 in an amount totaling not less than ten percent of the revenues recommended for appropriation by the Governor in the Governor's annual budget message delivered to the Legislature on or after February 26, 2008.
In identifying and compiling the list of recommended budget reductions, the bill requires the State Comptroller to provide a written explanation of each proposed reduction as well as a written assessment of the potential impact, if any, of the proposed reductions on each affected State agency, regulated population, and source of revenue. Under the provisions of the bill, the State Comptroller must make the list of budget reductions and any accompanying data or information submitted to the Governor or the Legislature available to the public on an Internet database accessible from the official web site for the State of New Jersey, without charge for access. For State fiscal years commencing on or after July 1, 2009, the State Comptroller is required to submit and publicize a similar programmatic budget reduction list identifying and recommending opportunities to reduce State spending.
By expanding and broadening the duties and responsibilities of the State Comptroller, this bill permits an independent arm of the Executive Branch of State Government to play an active role in evaluating State budget and appropriations practices and procedures during the current and future State fiscal years. As an independent agency, in but not of the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the State Comptroller has the unique ability to not only root out waste, fraud, and abuse, but also to identify avenues to reduce State spending and achieve cost savings and efficiencies that benefit taxpayers throughout the State of New Jersey.