2011 Montana Legislature

HOUSE BILL NO. 642

INTRODUCED BY M. BLASDEL, E. BUTTREY, J. ESSMANN, K. GILLAN, G. HOLLENBAUGH, T. MCGILLVRAY, M. MILBURN, A. OLSON, J. SESSO, J. SONJU, C. VINCENT, C. WILLIAMS

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE ON EFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT; PROVIDING FOR MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES AND A TERMINATION DATE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Select committee on efficiency in government -- membership. (1) There is a select committee on efficiency in government.

(2) The committee is composed of 12 members appointed as follows:

(a) six members of the house of representatives, three of whom must be appointed by the speaker of the house and three of whom must be appointed by the minority leader; and

(b) six members of the senate, three of whom must be appointed by the president and three of whom must be appointed by the minority leader.

(3) The president of the senate shall designate one of the members as the presiding officer of the committee. The committee may elect any other officers it considers to be advisable.

(4) Committee members are entitled to receive compensation and expenses as provided in 5-2-302.

(5) The legislative services division shall provide staff assistance to the committee, and the committee may receive staff assistance from the legislative fiscal division, the legislative audit division, and the office of budget and program planning. Agencies of the executive branch, including the Montana university system, and the judicial branch shall provide information upon request. The committee may contract with other entities as necessary to obtain adequate and necessary information and analysis and may request specific audits from the legislative audit committee.

Section 2. Committee duties -- evaluation of priority budgeting systems -- reporting. (1) The committee shall:

(a) identify states that have implemented a priority budgeting system;

(b) analyze the approaches taken by the states identified to implement a priority budgeting system, the types of performance measurement used by the states, how decision matrices are developed and implemented to set priorities, and the results experienced;

(c) document long-term issues that will affect Montana's budget in the future, including federal mandates, the potential of less federal funding, and the implications of funding public employee retirement plans and other obligations owed by the state;

(d) in the context of anticipated, long-term pressures on the state budget, investigate and document the advantages of the several states' priority budgeting systems as compared to the baseline budgeting system used by Montana pursuant to Title 17, chapter 7;

(e) focus its attention on ascertaining the efficiency and effectiveness of state activities in three general areas, as provided in subsection (2).

(2) The study must attempt to determine areas of efficiency and effectiveness in the following areas:

(a) health care, particularly matters of access, delivery, and affordability. Concepts for consideration include but are not limited to:

(i) the objective measurement and value of the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) and the western interstate commission for higher education programs and an examination of ways to increase the number of Montana medical students returning to Montana to practice medicine;

(ii) the identification of the core programs within the department of public health and human services that need to be prioritized and funded;

(iii) the development of a strategy to address the financial and provider implications posed by the significant increase (nearly doubling) in medicaid rolls that is projected to occur by 2017;

(iv) options for leveraging large information technology system replacements, such as the supplemental nutritional assistance program (SNAP), temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), and the medicaid management information system (MMIS), within the department of public health and human services to make interaction among government agencies, providers, and beneficiaries more seamless and to ensure that proper mechanisms are in place to reduce or eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse;

(v) current regulatory requirements affecting health care providers and consumers, including identifying areas in which regulatory requirements can be modified to reduce their burden;

(vi) a review of statutes that address the licensing of health care professionals to ensure that the licensing requirements are appropriate for current and future health care work practices; and

(vii) other concepts identified by the committee.

(b) technology, particularly matters of availability, access, development, deployment, use, and integration. Concepts for consideration include but are not limited to:

(i) the elimination of dual data entry by government employees;

(ii) movement toward the concept of a paperless office to the maximum extent possible by eliminating the use and storage of paper;

(iii) focusing on increasing internet-based services, including the use of electronic forms, and creating financial incentives for the public to migrate to using internet-based services;

(iv) persuading individuals and entities to be responsible for the accuracy of the information and data that they provide to governmental entities;

(v) ensuring that a cohesive plan exists for the state's information systems to be able to support new technology initiatives, including the increased demand and need for videoconferencing;

(vi) evaluating the use of and, where appropriate, providing for the implementation of new delivery channels, such as the expanded use of the internet and mobile computing with social network tools;

(vii) leveraging Montana's investment in the state's two data centers and related infrastructure;

(viii) the practicality of various private-public partnerships to deliver services and the steps to be taken to enter or complete the partnerships; and

(ix) alternatives by which the concepts outlined in this subsection (2)(b) can be accomplished while preserving the security and integrity of consumer and state data.

(c) natural resources, particularly incentives for and impediments to development, adding value, transporting, and conservation. Concepts for consideration include but are not limited to:

(i) the elimination of redundant regulatory processes;

(ii) the methods and means to facilitate the timely review and authorization of projects, including mitigating postreview and postauthorization administrative or legal challenges;

(iii) alternatives for strengthening the threshold of legal standing for purposes of challenging procedural or substantive permitting decisions;

(iv) options for creating and using electronic forms and authorizations to streamline project startup, reporting, monitoring, continuation, and expansion;

(v) alternatives for implementing accountability in regulatory decisions;

(vi) the establishment of one process leading to the issuance of a permit. The process should include all governmental entities involved in permitting a project and ensure efficient and effective public participation whenever required or advisable.

(vii) the development and implementation of an incentive-based tax system that provides predictability and stability for new and continued growth of natural resource development;

(viii) the potential for new technologies to advance the development of innovative natural resource industries and sectors in Montana; and

(ix) the evaluation of the needs and requirements to facilitate investment and financing of natural resource development projects in Montana.

(3) In order to ensure that state resources are being used effectively and efficiently, the committee may:

(a) evaluate the coordination of projects and programs within the state, including projects and programs that involve the sharing, distribution, or interaction of resources within state government and between state government and federal, tribal, or local jurisdictions;

(b) determine the legislative purpose of specific projects and programs and whether the purpose is being accomplished in an efficient and effective manner. If the committee determines that the legislative purpose is not being accomplished, the committee shall report the basis of the determination and recommend, with proposed legislation, a statutory solution to achieve the legislative purpose or terminate the project or program.

(c) determine the adequacy of public notice and opportunity for comment and participation in project or program design or administration;

(d) determine the transparency of project or program design and implementation;

(e) evaluate the implementation and integrity of projects and programs;

(f) determine the extent to which duplication and waste is prevented under current law and administration and recommend, through proposed legislation, how to further prevent or eliminate duplication and waste; and

(g) within the context of efficiency and effectiveness and as determined to be advisable by the committee, examine other state matters of project or program design, implementation, or administration.

(4) At its first meeting, the committee shall establish its mission, goals, and objectives and specific problems to be addressed. The committee shall also establish a work plan and maintain a website to foster and ensure participation, accountability, and transparency. The website must:

(a) list the committee membership and contact information and the committee's stated mission, goals, and objectives;

(b) include a calendar of committee activities, including meeting dates, times, and venues;

(d) provide or provide a link to relevant economic, financial, demographic, and other information provided to the committee;

(e) establish and maintain links to federal, state, and local government websites that contain information on opportunities for citizen participation and input; and

(f) provide any other information that the committee considers relevant.

(5) (a) The committee shall report to the legislative council, the legislative finance committee, and the legislative audit committee if requested or if considered advisable by the committee.

(b) The committee shall prepare a final report of its findings and conclusions and of its recommendations and shall prepare draft legislation whenever appropriate. The committee shall submit the final report to the governor and the 63rd legislature, as provided in 5-11-210.

Section 3. Appropriation. There is appropriated $100,000 from the general fund to the legislative services division for the biennium beginning July 1, 2011, to support the activities of the select committee on efficiency in government established in [section 1].

Section 4. Effective dates. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), [this act] is effective on passage and approval.

(2) [Section 3] is effective July 1, 2011.

Section 5. Termination. [This act] terminates December 31, 2012.

- END -

Latest Version of HB 642 (HB0642.ENR)
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