HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 693 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 10, 2007 Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study legislative efficiency and recommend improvements. Report. ---------- Patron-- Shannon ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, the Legislative Department has an annual budget of $63 million; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Planning and Budget has developed a successful program for evaluating the efficiency of schools that has to date produced recommended savings of $15 million in 19 school divisions; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Planning and Budget program began with three pilot reviews and evolved into a statutorily established program with Department of Planning and Budget oversight of private sector consultants retained competitively under the Virginia Public Procurement Act; and

WHEREAS, similar savings could be realized from evaluating the operations of the General Assembly and agencies within the legislative branch; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission be directed to study legislative efficiency and recommend improvements.

In conducting its study, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall review the efficiency of each house and all agencies within the legislative branch in conducting their operations. Such review shall examine all expenditures, recognize best practices and identify opportunities for improving operational efficiencies, and reduce costs for each house. The review shall include but not be limited to an evaluation of the performance of each house, its committees, and members in the following areas:  (i) overhead; (ii) human resources; (iii) procurement; (iv) facilities use and management such as minimizing paper usage and participating in recycling programs required under § 10.1-1425.6 of the Code of Virginia; (v) financial management; (vi) transportation; (vii) technology planning, such as using available technology at meetings and on the floor of the General Assembly and to coordinate the scheduling of meetings and minimize travel when the General Assembly is not in session; (viii) energy management; and (ix) other areas identified in the review that present opportunities to improve efficiency. The study shall recommend whether § 30-19.12 of the Code of Virginia should be amended to moderate the per diem payment system to members attending pro forma sessions. The study shall not address the effectiveness of any legislative function. 

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by the Department of Planning and Budget. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may contract for services to perform all or part of the review and report required in this resolution through an open and competitive negotiation process in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). The contract shall be awarded to the firm that presents the most competitive proposal to provide the services considering the costs of the services, the qualifications of the firm to provide the services, the experience of the firm with similar matters. accounting expertise generally, and such other relevant factors as may be identified by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its study by November 30, 2007, and the Director shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2008 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.