THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY DENLINGER, BAKER, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, DAVIDSON, DeLUCA, FLECK, GINGRICH, GRELL, GROVE, HARHART, HARRIS, HESS, JOSEPHS, KAUFFMAN, KAVULICH, LAWRENCE, MILNE, MURT, PYLE, STERN, SWANGER, TAYLOR, TRUITT, VULAKOVICH AND WAGNER, JUNE 2, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JUNE 2, 2011  

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Creating a commission composed of public and private cost-minded

leaders of this Commonwealth to study the management of

current government operations and make recommendations

regarding the merger and consolidation of certain government

operations.

WHEREAS, The economic health of this Commonwealth is a top

priority; and

WHEREAS, The tax burden on this Commonwealth's citizens and

businesses resulting from the cost of government operations and

administration can have a significant impact on the economic

health of this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, State government has an obligation to be fiscally

responsible and to limit the tax burden it imposes; and

WHEREAS, Ten cents of every public dollar spent is committed

to general government operations; and

WHEREAS, An organized bipartisan effort is necessary to

determine ways in which State government can be made more

effective and more efficient; therefore be it

RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly

create a government management and cost study commission

composed of leaders from the public and private sectors to study

Commonwealth government operations and the experience of other

states in an effort to propose changes that will reduce costs,

increase accountability and improve service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission make recommendations regarding

the merger and consolidation of operations in executive agencies

and legislative agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission be comprised of ten members as

follows:

(1)  Two members to be appointed by the Governor, with

one of the appointments being a member of the general public.

(2)  Two members to be appointed by the Majority Leader

of the Senate and two members to be appointed by the Minority

Leader of the Senate, with no more than one appointment from

each authority being a government official or employee.

(3)  Two members to be appointed by the Majority Leader

of the House of Representatives and two members to be

appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives, with no more than one appointment from each

authority being a government official or employee;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That these appointments be made within 30 days of

the adoption of this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission make a report of its findings

and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no

later than November 30, 2011, at which time the commission shall

cease to exist; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the chairman rely on the existing staff of the

appointing authorities and the Appropriations Committee of the

Senate and the Appropriations Committee of the House of

Representatives to the greatest extent possible; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That necessary and reasonable costs and

expenditures of the commission be authorized to be paid from

funds already appropriated by the General Assembly to the Office

of the Budget and the Office of Administration; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the commission comply with all the duties and

responsibilities of an agency under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating

to open meetings).