Bill Text: GA HB33 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Budget Act; zero-base budgeting; provide

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-03-16 - Senate Read and Referred [HB33 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB33-Comm_Sub.html

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11 LC 14 0473S

House Bill 33 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

By: Representatives Allison of the 8th, Harden of the 28th, Jerguson of the 22nd, Brockway of the 101st, Hatfield of the 177th, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Part 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, known as the "Budget Act," so as to provide for the application of zero-base budgeting to the budget process; to provide for analysis of departmental and program objectives; to provide for consideration of alternative funding levels; to provide for departmental priority lists; to provide for automatic repeal; to amend Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the General Assembly, so as to authorize the creation of the Joint Legislative Budget Office as a successor to the Senate Budget Office and the House Budget Office; to make conforming amendments in numerous Code sections referring to legislative budget offices and, in particular, to amend Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to buildings; Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts; Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education; Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to law enforcement; Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public officers; and Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, so as to provide for and reflect the foregoing; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

PART I
SECTION 1-1.

Part 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, known as the "Budget Act," is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"45-12-75.1.

(a) The Governor in preparing his or her budget report under Code Section 45-12-75, and budget units in preparing their budget estimates under Code Section 45-12-78, shall make use of zero-base budgeting as provided in this Code section. The requirements of this Code section shall apply with respect to the budget report presented to the General Assembly in January of 2012 and each year thereafter.

(b) It is the intent of this Code section that in any given year the Governor's budget report shall include zero-base budgeting for the agencies and programs as identified by the Joint Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee composed of the Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate and the Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee of the House of Representatives as created in Code Section 28-5-20. The Joint Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee shall require each agency to use zero-base budgeting at least once every six years and shall not require any agency or program to use zero-base budgeting more often than once every four years. The Joint Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee shall balance the number of agencies and programs submitting zero-base budgets with staff available for preparing a budget and staff available for conducting review and analysis of the budget submission. The Governor and the Office of Planning and Budget shall prescribe the forms and format for zero-base budgets and serve as the entity designated for coordinating the preparation of zero-base budgets by the executive branch.

(c) In the years in which zero-base budgeting applies, each budget unit shall include in its budget estimate an analysis summarizing the prior two fiscal years and proposed spending plans by program, object class, and revenue source. Information presented shall include the following:

(1) A statement of the budget unit's departmental and program purposes; effectiveness, efficiency, and equity measures; and program size indicators; and

(2) A priority listing encompassing all alternative funding levels for all programs.

(d) In the years in which an agency or program submits a zero-base budget, the Governor shall include in the budget report relevant materials related to each budget unit's submission under subsection (c) of this Code section and such other relevant material as deemed appropriate by the Governor.

(e) Without in any way limiting the generality of the other provisions of this Code section, it is specifically provided that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia shall be a budget unit subject to this Code section and the programs of the board of regents shall be periodically subject to zero-base budgeting as provided for in this Code section and in keeping with the Constitution.

(f) Without in any way limiting the generality of the other provisions of this Code section, it is specifically provided that in the budget report presented to the General Assembly in January of 2012 the Department of Education's budget shall be submitted as a zero-base budget according to the guidelines contained in this Code section.

(g) The judicial branch is encouraged to participate in the zero-base budgeting process.

(h) The Joint Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee, as authorized under Code Section 28-5-23, may review all information and materials related to any zero-base budget request to include hearings as necessary.

(i) The Office of Planning and Budget and the Joint Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee shall maintain effectiveness, efficiency, and equity measures related to zero-base budgeting.

(j) This Code section shall be automatically repealed on June 30, 2019, unless reauthorized by the General Assembly."

PART II
SECTION 2-1.

Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the General Assembly, is amended by revising Code Section 28-5-6, relating to the Senate Budget Office and the House Budget Office, as follows:

"28-5-6.

(a) The Senate is authorized to establish and provide for a Senate Budget Office. The House of Representatives is authorized to establish and provide for a House Budget Office President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are authorized by mutual agreement to provide for the establishment of a Joint Legislative Budget Office and employ a director and other staff for that office.

(b) The director of the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office is authorized to request information and material from all state departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, committees, authorities, and agencies in connection with his or her duties; and all such departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, committees, authorities, and agencies are directed to furnish such information and material as the director shall request.

(c) The director of the House Budget Office is authorized to request information and material from all state departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, committees, authorities, and agencies in connection with his or her duties; and all such departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, committees, authorities, and agencies are directed to furnish such information and material as the director shall request. All information and material received by the House Budget Office under this subsection shall be made available to the chairpersons of the House Appropriations Committee, the House Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, and other officers of the House of Representatives as may be designated by the Speaker of the House; and upon direction by such chairpersons and such other officers of the House as may be designated by the Speaker of the House, the House Budget Office shall request any needed information and material from any state department, board, bureau, commission, committee, authority, or agency."

SECTION 2-2.

Said Title 28 is further amended in Code Section 28-4-2, relating to powers and duties of the Legislative Services Committee, by revising subsection (e) as follows:

"(e) The committee shall contract with a licensed certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm to conduct annually in accordance with accepted accounting principles a financial audit of legislative funds and expenditures. Such audit shall detail the expenditures of the following offices of the legislative branch: Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Senate, Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Clerk of the House of Representatives, House of Representatives, Office of Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Budget Analyst, and Office of Legislative Fiscal Officer."

SECTION 2-3.

Said Title 28 is further amended by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Code Section 28-5-42, relating to fiscal note requirements, as follows:

"(c)(1) In the event a bill having a significant impact as described in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section is introduced not later than the twentieth day of any session, the chairperson of the committee to which such bill is referred shall request the director of the Office of Planning and Budget and the state auditor to submit any such fiscal note as to the fiscal effect of any such bill and to file a copy of such fiscal note with the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office and the House Budget Office. The chairperson shall make such request after the bill is referred to the committee."

PART III
SECTION 3-1.

Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to buildings, is amended by revising Code Section 8-2-144, relating to accounting of certain fees by the Commissioner of Insurance, as follows:

"8-2-144.

The Commissioner of Insurance shall file a report on or before December 15 of each year accounting for all fees received by the Commissioner under this part and Part 3 of this article for the preceding 12 month period and for the actual costs of the inspection programs under this part and Part 3 of this article for the preceding 12 month period. Such report shall be provided to the chairpersons of the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee, the House Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the director of the Senate Budget Office, and the director of the House Joint Legislative Budget Office."

SECTION 3-2.

Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 15-6-77.4, relating to certain additional divorce case filing fees, as follows:

"(a) In addition to any fees required in Code Sections 15-6-77, 15-6-77.2, 15-6-77.3, and 47-14-51, for filing each divorce case, the clerk of superior court shall charge an additional fee of $5.00. Each clerk of the superior court shall collect the additional fees for divorce cases as provided in this Code section and shall pay such moneys over to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority by the last day of the month there following, to be deposited by the authority into the general treasury. The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected pursuant to this Code section and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-3.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising Code Section 15-9-60.1, relating to certain additional marriage license fees, as follows:

"15-9-60.1.

In addition to any fees required in Code Section 15-9-60 for receiving marriage applications, issuing marriage licenses, and recording relative thereto, the judge of the probate court shall charge an additional fee of $15.00 for issuing a marriage license. No amount of this additional fee shall be paid into the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia provided for in Chapter 11 of Title 47 or be used for the purpose of calculating retirement benefits for judges of the probate courts. Each judge of the probate court shall collect the additional fees for issuing marriage licenses as provided in this Code section and shall pay such moneys over to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority by the last day of the month there following, to be deposited by the authority into the general treasury. The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected pursuant to this Code section and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-4.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Code Section 15-18-12, relating to judicial circuit travel expenses, as follows:

"(3) In determining the travel budget for each judicial circuit, the council shall consider the budget request submitted by the district attorney of each judicial circuit, the geographic size and the caseload of each circuit, and such other facts as may be relevant. The council is authorized to establish a contingency reserve of not more than 3 percent of the total amount appropriated by the General Assembly in order to meet any expenses which could not be reasonably anticipated. The council shall submit to each district attorney, the state auditor, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office a monthly report showing the budget amount of expenditures made under the travel budget. The council may periodically review and adjust said budget as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Code section."

SECTION 3-5.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising Code Section 15-21-74, relating to payment of certain amounts of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, as follows:

"15-21-74.

The sums provided for under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 15-21-73 shall be assessed and collected by the court officer charged with the duty of collecting moneys arising from fines and shall be paid over to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority by the last day of the month there following, to be deposited by the authority into the general treasury. The sums provided for under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Code Section 15-21-73 shall be assessed and collected by the court officer charged with the duty of collecting moneys arising from forfeited bonds and shall be paid over to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority by the last day of the month there following for remittance to the Office of the State Treasurer; provided, however, that if the local governing authority has an approved procedure to verify the applicant's income as set forth in Code Section 17-12-80, the court officer shall remit 50 percent of such funds to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, and the remaining 50 percent shall be remitted to the local governing authority and reported to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected and disbursed pursuant to this article and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-6.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising Code Section 15-21-113, relating to payment of certain amounts to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, as follows:

"15-21-113.

The sums provided for in Code Section 15-21-112 shall be assessed and collected by the court officer charged with the duty of collecting moneys arising from fines and shall be paid over by the last day of the following month to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority for remittance to the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Board, to be deposited into the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund. The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected pursuant to this article and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-7.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 15-21A-6.1, relating to the judicial operation fund fees in superior court, as follows:

"(c) The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected pursuant to this Code section and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-8.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 15-21A-6.2, relating to the judicial operation fund fees in state court, as follows:

"(c) The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a report and accounting of all funds collected pursuant to this Code section and shall submit such report and accounting to the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-9.

Said Title 15 is further amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 15-21A-7, relating to the reporting and accounting system of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, as follows:

"(c) The authority shall, on a quarterly basis, make a detailed report and accounting of all fines and fees collected and remitted by any court and shall submit such report and accounting to the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, the Office of Planning and Budget, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office no later than 60 days after the last day of the preceding quarter."

SECTION 3-10.

Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-320, relating to the Education Information Steering Committee, as follows:

"(c) For the purpose of this article, authorized educational agencies shall be the Department of Education; the Department of Early Care and Learning; the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; the Technical College System of Georgia; the Education Coordinating Council; the Professional Standards Commission; the Office of Student Achievement; the education policy and research components of the office of the Governor; the Office of Planning and Budget; the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office; the House Budget Office; the House Research Office; and the Senate Research Office. Any information collected over the state-wide comprehensive educational information system, including individual student records and individual personnel records, shall be accessible by authorized educational agencies, provided that any information which is planned for collection over the system but which is temporarily being collected by other means shall also be accessible by authorized educational agencies and provided, further, that adequate security provisions are employed to protect the privacy of individuals. All data maintained for this system shall be used for educational purposes only. In no case shall information be released by an authorized educational agency which would violate the privacy rights of any individual student or employee. Information released by an authorized educational agency in violation of the privacy rights of any individual student or employee shall subject the authorized educational agency to all penalties under applicable state and federal law. Any information collected over the state-wide comprehensive educational information system which is not stored in an individual student or personnel record format shall be made available to the Governor and the House and Senate Appropriations, Education, Education and Youth, and Higher Education committees, except information otherwise prohibited by statute. Data which are included in an individual student record or individual personnel record format shall be extracted from such records and made available in nonindividual record format for use by the Governor, committees of the General Assembly, and agencies other than authorized educational agencies."

SECTION 3-11.

Said Title 20 is further amended by revising Code Section 20-3-133, relating to certain payments to local junior college operating authorities, as follows:

"20-3-133.

There shall be paid to every local operating authority which shall have established a junior college under this article, upon which construction had commenced prior to January 1, 1964, and which is not operated as a unit of the university system under the board of regents an amount which shall be determined on the basis of a budget for each fiscal year, developed pursuant to a formula agreed upon by the local operating authority, the director of the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office, the director of the House Budget Office, and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget. Budgets prepared pursuant to this authority shall be for expenses incurred by a junior college for educational and general expenditures as set forth in the latest edition of the publication entitled 'College and University Business Administration.' Such formula shall include financial participation from the local operating authority to include student matriculation fees and funds derived from not less than a one-half nor more than a three-fourths mill tax established by the local operating authority on the ad valorem tax digest of its political subdivision. No state funds shall be appropriated for capital construction. Expenditure under this article shall be audited annually by the Department of Audits and Accounts."

SECTION 3-12.

Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to law enforcement, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 35-2-41.1, relating to donation or conveyance of property, equipment, or services to the Department of Public Safety, as follows:

"(a) Any offer to donate or convey by deed, gift, rent, lease, or other means any property, equipment, or services to the department shall be made in writing through command channels to the commissioner. If the commissioner approves the offer, he or she shall submit a written proposal of the offer to the board for its approval. A copy of the formal proposal shall be forwarded by the commissioner to the Office of Planning and Budget, the Senate Budget Office, and the House Joint Legislative Budget Office, any either of which may comment on the proposal."

SECTION 3-13.

Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public officers, is amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 45-12-78, relating to budget estimates, as follows:

"(b) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the budget estimates for the General Assembly, including all the legislative agencies, shall be prepared by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate and such other legislative officers as appropriate and shall be submitted to the director of the budget at the same time as other budget estimates are submitted. The Department of Audits and Accounts, for the purpose of this part, is a legislative agency and shall be construed in all respects as such; and the budget estimate for said department shall be prepared by the state auditor and shall be included in the budget report without revision and shall not be subject to review or control by the Office of Planning and Budget. The state treasurer shall assist in the preparation of these budget estimates, if requested. Effective with the budget estimates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1985, the budget estimates for the Senate, the office of the Lieutenant Governor, and the office of the Secretary of the Senate shall be prepared by the Senate; the budget estimates for the House of Representatives, the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall be prepared by the House of Representatives; and the budget estimates for the Office of Legislative Counsel, the Office of Legislative Fiscal Officer, and the Office of Legislative Budget Analyst Joint Legislative Budget Office shall be prepared by the Legislative Services Committee. All of such budget estimates shall include such object classes as the Legislative Services Committee shall determine, and transfers of funds may be made between such object classes. Funds may also be transferred between the Senate, the office of the Lieutenant Governor, and the office of the Secretary of the Senate. Funds may also be transferred between the House of Representatives, the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Funds may also be transferred between the Office of Legislative Counsel, the Office of Legislative Fiscal Officer, and the Office of Legislative Budget Analyst Joint Legislative Budget Office."

SECTION 3-14.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising Code Section 45-12-82, relating periodic work programs of state budget units, as follows:

"45-12-82.

The Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, shall require each budget unit, other than those of the legislative branch and the judicial branch, to file periodic work programs with the Office of Planning and Budget at such time as the Office of Planning and Budget shall direct. As provided in Code Section 45-12-83, no allotment of funds shall be approved for any budget unit until such budget unit has filed a periodic work program with the Office of Planning and Budget and the periodic work program has been approved by the Governor. The work program shall be presented on forms prescribed by the Office of Planning and Budget and shall contain such information as the Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, may require. The work program shall include the amount of the portion of the appropriation required for the period's expenditures based on the budget prepared as provided in this part. Periodic work programs may be amended from time to time in such manner as the Office of Planning and Budget may require. A duplicate copy of all of the periodic work programs and any amendments thereto shall be filed simultaneously with the Office of Planning and Budget, the state treasurer, the state auditor, the Senate Budget Office, and the House Joint Legislative Budget Office."

SECTION 3-15.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 45-12-85, relating to examination and investigation of periodic work programs, as follows:

"(b) The Governor through the Office of Planning and Budget shall seek to effect economy, efficiency, decentralization of state government, and sound fiscal management in reviewing budget allotment requests and may make such changes to the budget allotment requests to meet these goals and objectives and which are consistent with and subject to the method and provisions contained in the General Appropriations Act. Upon determination that the requested budget allotment conforms with the approved work program and meets the above-mentioned goals and objectives, the Governor shall execute his or her warrant on the treasury for the funds included in the approved budget allotment. Notwithstanding any authorization for expenditure included in an appropriations Act, all appropriations in excess of the approved budget allotments for the budget year, as determined by the Office of Planning and Budget, shall cease to be an obligation of the state. The Office of Planning and Budget shall notify the House Joint Legislative Budget Office and the Senate Budget Office of any such action with appropriate supporting information."

SECTION 3-16.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising subsection (d) of Code Section 45-12-95, relating to certain duties of the Office of Planning and Budget, as follows:

"(d) The Office of Planning and Budget must review and approve all proposed cost-saving initiatives prior to their implementation for the implementing agency to be eligible for receipt of financial incentives. However, as part of this review, the Office of Planning and Budget must consult with a cross section of agencies and the House Joint Legislative Budget Office and the Senate Budget Office."

SECTION 3-17.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising Code Section 45-12-110, relating to federal assistance budgetary requirements, as follows:

"45-12-110.

(a) Any state department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other state agency, except the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and its employees, intending to apply for any new program of federal assistance under any federal program shall notify the House Joint Legislative Budget Office, the Senate Budget Office, and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget of its intention to apply for such federal assistance at least 30 days prior to filing the application for such assistance. Such notification shall include a summary description of the proposed federal assistance project, the amount of federal funds to be requested, the amount of state matching funds, if any, to be required in connection with obtaining federal assistance, and the period of time to be covered by the proposed federal assistance project.

(b) The House Joint Legislative Budget Office, the Senate Budget Office, and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, acting jointly or independently, are authorized and directed to devise and distribute such forms as may be necessary to carry out subsection (a) of this Code section and, in connection therewith, to adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to ensure compliance with said subsection."

SECTION 3-18.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising Code Section 45-12-111, relating to analysis of impact federal assistance, as follows:

"45-12-111.

As soon as practicable after receiving a notification provided for in Code Section 45-12-110, it shall be the duty of the legislative budget analyst Joint Legislative Budget Office to analyze the short-term and long-term impact the proposed federal assistance project would have on state budgetary and fiscal matters if the application for federal assistance were approved. Upon completion of said analysis, the legislative budget analyst Legislative Joint Budget Office shall forward a copy of same to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each member of the appropriations committees of the House of Representatives and Senate, and to any member of the General Assembly requesting a copy of said analysis."

SECTION 3-19.

Said Title 45 is further amended by revising paragraph (21) of subsection (c) of Code Section 45-13-22, relating to distribution of Georgia Laws and House and Senate journals, as follows:

"(21) House Joint Legislative Budget Office and Senate Budget Office — one set each two sets;"

SECTION 3-20.

Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended by revising paragraph (5) of subsection (e) of Code Section 50-5A-11, relating to certain records not public records, as follows:

"(5) Given to the Governor, the Attorney General and the Department of Law, the Office of Planning and Budget, officers of the General Assembly, the legislative budget offices Joint Legislative Budget Office, the state accounting officer and the State Accounting Office, the state auditor and the Department of Audits and Accounts, or the State Depository Board for use and public disclosure in the ordinary performance of those officers' and offices' duties."

SECTION 3-21.

Said Title 50 is further amended by revising Code Section 50-25-7.1, relating to the technology empowerment fund to be administered by the Georgia Technology Authority, as follows:

"50-25-7.1.

(a) The authority is authorized and directed to establish a technology empowerment fund to be administered by the authority. The fund shall consist of such moneys appropriated or otherwise available to the authority as the board may determine from time to time to deposit therein. Subject to the appropriations process, the decision-making and priority-setting responsibilities for allocating these funds are vested in the chief information officer and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget.

(b) The chief information officer is authorized to identify and select individual projects, initiatives, and systems to improve service delivery to be funded through the technology empowerment fund. Such projects shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the chief information officer, reduced costs through the use of technology. In identification and selection of such projects, initiatives, and systems, the chief information officer shall give priority to those which provide demonstrable cost savings and improved service delivery on a recurring basis through the employment of technology and training. Eligible projects, initiatives, and systems to receive disbursements from the technology empowerment fund may be selected from agency budget requests. Quarterly reports of the operations of the technology empowerment fund shall be required to be made to the board, the Office of Planning and Budget, the Senate Budget Office, and the House Joint Legislative Budget Office to ensure proper oversight and accountability.

(c) Each project or initiative developed and supported from the technology empowerment fund shall employ technology that is compatible with the architecture and standards established by the authority and shall be accounted for by a discrete account established for the individual project or initiative item in the operating budget and capital budget.

(d) A steering committee composed of the chairperson of the House Appropriations Committee or his or her designee from among the membership of the committee, the chairperson of the Senate Appropriations Committee or his or her designee from among the membership of the committee, the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the House Budget Office, the Senate Budget Office the director of the Joint Legislative Budget Office, the state auditor, and a representative from the Governor's office shall advise and consult with the chief information officer regarding initiatives to receive funding from the technology empowerment fund and shall receive quarterly reports from the chief information officer as to the status of funded projects."

SECTION 3-22.

Said title is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 50-34-17, relating to the OneGeorgia Authority Overview Committee, as follows:

"(a) There is established the OneGeorgia Authority Overview Committee to be composed of one member of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one member of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, the director of the Senate Joint Legislative Budget Office or his or her designee, the director of the House Budget Office or his or her designee, and two members of the General Assembly to be appointed by the Governor. The legislative members shall serve for terms as members of the committee concurrent with their terms of office as members of the General Assembly. The first members of the committee shall be appointed by not later than July 1, 2000. Thereafter, their successors shall be appointed during the first 30 days of each regular legislative session which is held immediately following the election of members of the General Assembly."

PART IV

SECTION 4-1.

This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 4-2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.