HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 80 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 4, 2008 Requesting the Governor to determine the most appropriate methods and timing for consolidating the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services into a single department that will result in an enhancement of services. Report. ---------- Patron-- Marshall, R.G. ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, Governor Mark R. Warner established the Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness when he signed Executive Order No. 5; and

WHEREAS, the Commission found that there is considerable duplication of effort in activities undertaken by separate state departments, agencies, and programs; and

WHEREAS, the Commission estimated that the savings that could accrue to the Commonwealth from changing the way it does business could approach $750 million annually; and

WHEREAS, in the final report issued on December 12, 2002, by the Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness, one of its many recommendations included the consolidation of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services as a way to streamline state government and eliminate duplication of effort; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Governor be requested to determine the most appropriate methods and timing for consolidating the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services into a single department that will result in an enhancement of services. The Governor shall set a timetable by which the consolidation should take place.

In determining the most appropriate method for the consolidation, the Governor shall identify the areas of duplication of activities and programs and estimate the cost savings to the Commonwealth as a result of the consolidation.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Governor by the Department of Planning and Budget, the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Governor in collecting necessary information and data, upon request.

The Governor shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and his recommendations for the method for and timing of the consolidation of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services into a single department no later than the first day of the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report document 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.