Bill Text: VA SJR88 | 2010 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Local government reorganization; joint subcommittee to study.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-12 - Senate: Continued to 2011 in Rules by voice vote [SJR88 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-SJR88-Prefiled.html
|
10102391D WHEREAS, Virginia's localities will face many challenges in the coming years; and WHEREAS, despite the many successes of Virginia's localities, many unsolved problems remain; and WHEREAS, Virginia's localities are sometimes hindered in solving some of their most difficult problems due to outdated local organization and structure; and WHEREAS, Virginia's localities may also be missing out on opportunities to work cooperatively for their mutual benefit and for the benefit of the Commonwealth; and WHEREAS, a regional approach to solving local problems and delivering local government services can often result in greater efficiency and effectiveness; and WHEREAS, modernization of local government structure and funding, and a willingness to consider regional approaches to the delivery of local government services, is essential to allow localities to efficiently provide governmental services; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study local government reorganization. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of nine members that shall consist of six legislative members and three nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; one nonlegislative citizen member who shall be a recognized expert on local government, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and two nonlegislative citizen members, one of whom shall be a current or former constitutional officer of a city and one of whom shall be a current or former constitutional officer of a county, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review previous studies of local government structure and organization and examine the changes that have occurred in Virginia subsequent to these studies. The joint subcommittee shall examine local government best practices and shall consider ways to capture economies of scale, to modernize, and to implement changes in methods of local government finance in order to provide governmental services in the most efficient manner. The joint subcommittee shall also consider the potential benefits of regional solutions to local problems and regional delivery of local services, and shall consider the current incentives and roadblocks that exist for such regional efforts. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request. The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2010 interim and four meetings for the 2011 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $7,200 for each year without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee. The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2010, and for the second year by November 30, 2011, and the chairman 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 next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee 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 summaries and reports 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. Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2010 or 2011 interim. |
