Chapter 240
H.P. 383 - L.D. 499
PART QQQ
Sec. QQQ-1. Initiative established. The Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, referred to in this Part as "the committee," shall serve as the steering committee to streamline State Government, referred to in this Part as "the initiative."
Sec. QQQ-2. Convening of committee. The committee shall convene to begin the initiative no later than August 1, 2007.
Sec. QQQ-3. Duties. The committee, as part of the initiative, shall undertake a comprehensive analysis of State Government with the goals of consolidating functions and eliminating duplication and inefficiencies in programs, in contracted personal services and in the administrative and management positions within the structure of State Government. In carrying out its duties, the committee shall investigate and identify major sources of administrative excess, redundancy, inefficiency and program overlap with other state, local or federal programs. In its report pursuant to section 6, the committee shall identify those administrative and management positions, including positions in the unclassified service and major policy-influencing positions as set out in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 71, and in contracted personal services that should be reduced, eliminated or consolidated to deliver the optimum services in the most cost-effective manner. The initiative must achieve a targeted spending reduction of a minimum of $10,100,000 during the 2008-2009 biennium. The committee may establish subcommittees and draw on experts inside and outside of State Government.
Sec. QQQ-4. Staff assistance. The Office of Fiscal and Program Review shall staff the committee. The committee may request additional staff assistance from the Legislative Council. The committee may request that the Legislative Council contract for additional staff to direct the initiative and hire expert staff as it determines necessary within its budgeted resources. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services; the Executive Department, State Planning Office; and the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability may also provide assistance to the committee.
Sec. QQQ-5. Compensation. Members of the committee are entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses related to their attendance at authorized meetings of the committee.
Sec. QQQ-6. Report. The committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislative Council no later than January 8, 2008. The committee is authorized to submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services may implement those measures identified by the committee to reach the spending reduction target.
Sec. QQQ-7. Commissioner actions. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services may implement those measures identified by the committee to reach the spending reduction target of $10,100,000. If the committee fails to identify at least $10,100,000 in savings through legislation submitted to and enacted by the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature, the commissioner shall distribute the undistributed savings through the process of curtailing allotments established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 1667. The State Budget Officer shall determine amounts by financial order upon approval of the Governor.
Sec. QQQ-8. Committee budget. The chairs of the committee, with assistance from the committee staff and the Executive Director of the Legislative Council, shall administer the committee's budget approved by the Legislative Council. The committee may not incur expenses that would result in the committee's exceeding its approved budget. Upon request from the committee, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall promptly provide the committee chairs and staff with a status report on the committee budget, expenditures incurred and paid and available funds.
Sec. QQQ-9. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Departments and agencies - statewide 0016
Initiative: Deappropriates savings to be achieved through the initiative to streamline State Government. If sufficient savings are not identified through legislation submitted to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature, the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall distribute the undistributed savings through the process of curtailing allotments established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 1667. The State Budget Officer shall determine the amounts in this section that apply against each General Fund account and shall transfer those amounts by financial order upon the approval of the Governor. The transferred amounts are considered adjustments to appropriations in fiscal year 2008-09.
| GENERAL FUND | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
Unallocated
|
$0 | ($10,100,000) |
 |
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $0 | ($10,100,000) |
| ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF | ||
| DEPARTMENT TOTALS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
GENERAL FUND
|
$0 | ($10,100,000) |
|
|
|
| DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS | $0 | ($10,100,000) |
LEGISLATURE
Legislature 0081
Initiative: Provides funds for the expenses of the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs associated with the initiative to streamline State Government, including contracting for additional staff and experts and contracted services.
| GENERAL FUND | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
All Other
|
$50,000 | $0 |
|
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $50,000 | $0 |
| LEGISLATURE | ||
| DEPARTMENT TOTALS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
GENERAL FUND
|
$50,000 | $0 |
|
|
|
| DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS | $50,000 | $0 |
| SECTION TOTALS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
GENERAL FUND
|
$50,000 | ($10,100,000) |
|
|
|
| SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS | $50,000 | ($10,100,000) |