Bill Text: NY A00653 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Creates the non-partisan legislative budget office; directs such office shall provide information to legislative committees of the senate and assembly with respect to the state budget, appropriation bills and other bills providing budget authority or tax expenditures; requires such office to report to the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-06-22 - print number 653a [A00653 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-A00653-Amended.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        653--A
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. KAVANAGH -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee  on  Governmental  Operations  --  recommitted to the Committee on
         Governmental Operations in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2  --
         committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
         recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in  relation  to  creation  of  the
         non-partisan legislative budget office
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new article  4-B
    2  to read as follows:
    3                                  ARTICLE 4-B
    4                   NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE
    5  SECTION 76. NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE.
    6          77. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE; REPORT.
    7    S  76. NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
    8  ARTICLE:
    9    A. "OFFICE" MEANS THE NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE  BUDGET  OFFICE  ESTAB-
   10  LISHED IN THIS ARTICLE; AND
   11    B. "DIRECTOR" MEANS THE DIRECTOR OF THE NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE BUDG-
   12  ET OFFICE.
   13    C.  "SUPER-MAJORITY  VOTE"  MEANS  A  VOTE REQUIRING TWO-THIRDS OF THE
   14  MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH BRANCH OF THE LEGISLATURE.
   15    2. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED A NON-PARTISAN LEGISLATIVE  BUDGET  OFFICE.
   16  THE  HEAD OF SUCH OFFICE SHALL BE THE DIRECTOR WHO SHALL BE APPOINTED BY
   17  A JOINT RESOLUTION REQUIRING A SUPER-MAJORITY VOTE OF BOTH OF THE SENATE
   18  AND ASSEMBLY FOR A TERM OF SEVEN YEARS.  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF  THE
   19  SENATE  AND  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SENATE
   20  MINORITY LEADER AND ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER SHALL REACH A CONSENSUS  ON
   21  A  CANDIDATE  FOR THE DIRECTOR POSITION ON WHICH THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00816-05-0
       A. 653--A                           2
    1  SHALL VOTE. THE DIRECTOR OF  THE  LEGISLATIVE  BUDGET  OFFICE  SHALL  BE
    2  APPOINTED  WITHOUT  REGARD  TO  POLITICAL  AFFILIATION AND SOLELY ON THE
    3  BASIS OF FITNESS TO PERFORM THE DUTIES ASSIGNED BY THIS ARTICLE.
    4    3.  A DEPUTY DIRECTOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR. ANY INDIVID-
    5  UAL APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR TO FILL A VACANCY PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF A
    6  TERM SHALL SERVE ONLY FOR THE UNEXPIRED PORTION OF THAT TERM. ANY  INDI-
    7  VIDUAL SERVING AS DIRECTOR AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM MAY CONTINUE TO
    8  SERVE  UNTIL  HIS  OR  HER SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED.   ANY DEPUTY DIRECTOR
    9  SHALL SERVE UNTIL THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM OF OFFICE OF  THE  DIRECTOR
   10  WHO  APPOINTED  HIM OR HER, AND UNTIL HIS OR HER SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED,
   11  UNLESS SOONER REMOVED BY THE DIRECTOR.
   12    4.  THE DIRECTOR SHALL HOLD NO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICE  WHILE  SERVING  AS
   13  THE  DIRECTOR.  THE  DIRECTOR  SHALL RECEIVE SUCH COMPENSATION AS MAY BE
   14  FIXED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
   15    5. THE DIRECTOR MAY BE REMOVED BY EITHER THE ASSEMBLY OR THE SENATE BY
   16  RESOLUTION REQUIRING A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO  EITHER
   17  BRANCH OF THE LEGISLATURE.
   18    S 77. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE; REPORT. 1. THE OFFICE SHALL:
   19    A. PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE AND
   20  ASSEMBLY WITH RESPECT TO THE STATE BUDGET, APPROPRIATION AND PROGRAMMAT-
   21  IC BILLS AND OTHER BILLS PROVIDING BUDGET AUTHORITY OR TAX EXPENDITURES;
   22    B.  EXAMINE  AND  REVIEW ALL FINANCIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC INFORMATION OF
   23  THE STATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING REVENUE ESTIMATES USED IN  DETER-
   24  MINING WHETHER ANY PROPOSED STATE BUDGET IS BALANCED;
   25    C.  BE CHARGED WITH THE DUTY OF RENDERING ANTICIPATED REVENUE FORECAST
   26  REPORTS TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR FOR THE PURPOSES OF  FACILI-
   27  TATING PASSAGE OF THE STATE BUDGET IN A TIMELY MANNER; AND
   28    D.  PROVIDE  ASSISTANCE  IN  DETERMINING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF PROPOSED
   29  LEGISLATION AT THE REQUEST OF A MEMBER OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY.
   30    E. THE DIRECTOR SHALL DEVELOP, IN CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  CHAIRS  AND
   31  RANKING  MEMBERS  OF  THE  SENATE  STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND THE
   32  ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE,  A  PRIORITY  SYSTEM  FOR  PROCESSING
   33  REQUESTS  FROM LEGISLATORS FOR FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR THEIR LEGIS-
   34  LATION.
   35    F. THE DIRECTOR SHALL PROVIDE ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE  AND  ASSEMBLY
   36  WITH  A  DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIORITY SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS FROM
   37  LEGISLATORS FOR FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR THEIR LEGISLATION.
   38    2. AT THE REQUEST OF ANY COMMITTEE CHAIR  OR  RANKING  MEMBER  OF  THE
   39  SENATE  OR  ASSEMBLY,  TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET
   40  OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE TO SUCH COMMITTEE ANY INFORMATION WHICH WILL ASSIST
   41  IN THE DISCHARGE OF MATTERS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COMMITTEE.
   42    3. THE DIRECTOR MAY APPOINT BUDGET ANALYSTS, ASSISTANTS AND SUCH OTHER
   43  EMPLOYEES AS HE OR SHE MAY DEEM NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE,  PRESCRIBE  SUCH
   44  EMPLOYEE'S  DUTIES  AND  FIX  SUCH  EMPLOYEE'S  COMPENSATION  WITHIN THE
   45  AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED AND MADE AVAILABLE THEREFOR.
   46    4. A. THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF
   47  THE  SENATE,  SENATE  MINORITY  LEADER,  THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND
   48  ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE:
   49    1. WRITTEN ESTIMATES  OF  ANTICIPATED  STATE  REVENUES  FOR  BUDGETARY
   50  PURPOSES;
   51    2. PROJECTED ECONOMIC FACTORS AND FORECASTS;
   52    3.  SUMMARIZATION  OF  THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO
   53  ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CONSTITUTION; AND
   54    4. REVENUE SOURCES THAT COULD  BE  USED  AS  ALTERNATIVES  TO  REVENUE
   55  SOURCES OUTLINED IN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET.
       A. 653--A                           3
    1    B.  SUCH REPORT SHALL BE SUBMITTED ON THE FIRST OF MARCH EACH YEAR FOR
    2  THE NEXT SUCCEEDING FISCAL YEAR. AFTER SUBMISSION TO THE TEMPORARY PRES-
    3  IDENT OF THE SENATE, SENATE MINORITY LEADER, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY
    4  AND ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER, SUCH REPORT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
    5  PUBLIC, UPON REQUEST.
    6    5.  A.  THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE SHALL BE FUNDED FROM LEGISLATIVE
    7  APPROPRIATIONS PROVIDED ANNUALLY, WITH EQUAL ALLOCATIONS PROVIDED BY THE
    8  SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY AS EACH HOUSE DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
    9    B. THE DIRECTOR MAY PROCURE, WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED AND  MADE
   10  AVAILABLE  THEREFOR,  UP-TO-DATE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, OBTAIN THE SERVICES
   11  OF EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS IN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY.
   12    S 2. Section 30 of the legislative law, as amended by chapter  766  of
   13  the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   14    S 30. Duties  of finance and ways and means committees and secretaries
   15  AND OF THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE AND ITS DIRECTOR.   The  committees
   16  and  their  secretaries  AND  OF  THE  LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE AND ITS
   17  DIRECTOR shall have access at all reasonable times to offices  of  state
   18  departments,  commissions,  boards, bureaus and offices, to institutions
   19  and to all state authorities and public works of the state and they may,
   20  for the purpose of obtaining information as to the method of  operation,
   21  general  condition,  management  and  needs  thereof, examine the books,
   22  papers and public records therein.  Notwithstanding any other  provision
   23  of  law  such  state departments, commissions, boards, bureaus, offices,
   24  state authorities and institutions shall through their  proper  officers
   25  or deputies furnish to such committees AND THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE
   26  such  data, information or statements as may be necessary for the proper
   27  exercise of their powers and duties and for the purpose of carrying into
   28  effect the provisions of this article. The finance and  ways  and  means
   29  committee  in exercising the powers and performing the duties prescribed
   30  by this article may act jointly, or separately, as they deem advisable.
   31    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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