PRINTER'S NO. 2123
No. 1737 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY SWEET AND NOYE, SEPTEMBER 24, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 24, 1979
AN ACT
1 Providing for the establishment of the Commonwealth Productivity
2 Council and prescribing its powers and duties.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Commonwealth
7 Productivity Council Act."
8 Section 2. Declaration of purpose.
9 It is the intention of the General Assembly to provide means
10 for improving the quality and quantity of governmental services
11 rendered to the citizens of this Commonwealth. Such improvements
12 in productivity are especially necessary in regard to:
13 (1) the use of innovative techniques in the utilization
14 of capital and labor;
15 (2) the use of modern technology in service utilization;
16 and
17 (3) the use of modern management techniques of systems
1 analysis, planning and evaluation.
2 In order to provide expertise for the research and
3 investigation necessary to such an endeavor, it is appropriate
4 that a Commonwealth Productivity Council be established to study
5 and make recommendations to the Governor and to the General
6 Assembly on methods, approaches, and alternatives to improve
7 governmental productivity and to oversee the activities of the
8 executive branch in these areas.
9 Section 3. Commonwealth Productivity Council.
10 There is hereby established an independent advisory council
11 to be known as the Commonwealth Productivity Council, which
12 shall consist of 15 members. The members of the council shall
13 be: the Secretary of Administration, who shall serve as chairman
14 of the council; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of
15 Labor and Industry; the Secretary of Budget; the Governor's
16 Science Advisor; four members appointed by the Governor; one of
17 whom shall be a representative of business management; one of
18 whom shall be a representative of Pennsylvania's labor
19 organizations; one of whom shall be a Commonwealth employee; and
20 one of whom shall be a representative of the consuming public;
21 three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
22 Representatives; at least two of whom shall be members of the
23 House, providing representation of both political parties; three
24 members appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate; at
25 least two of whom shall be members of the Senate, providing
26 representation of both political parties. The appointed members
27 shall serve for a term of two years and shall be eligible for
28 reappointment for a like period. Members of the council shall
29 make available their staff to assist the council in the conduct
30 of its activities.
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1 Section 4. Powers and duties of council.
2 The council shall have the power and its duty shall be to:
3 (1) Examine the Commonwealth's procedures and systems
4 for effectiveness and efficiency measurement and make
5 recommendations to improve such activities so as to
6 complement productivity improvements mentioned below.
7 (2) Examine the feasibility of applying productivity
8 incentive pay systems to the State Government and consider
9 other productivity improvements in the realm of labor-
10 management relations.
11 (3) Examine methods and approaches to improve worker
12 satisfaction in State Government through recognition,
13 participation, rotation, and other performance incentives.
14 (4) Examine ways to apply improved management and
15 systems approaches to the operations of State Government to
16 increase productivity.
17 (5) Examine existing State systems for monitoring and
18 performance assessment of service delivery to increase
19 productivity.
20 (6) Examine the feasibility of creating a "productivity
21 bank" for the State Capital Budget.
22 (7) Examine State tax policies, financial incentives,
23 program requirements, and planning and administrative systems
24 now being utilized and make recommendations for changes so as
25 to increase outputs of service and administrative operations.
26 (8) Examine and propose better methods for the State to
27 carry out its productivity improvement program including
28 measurements, output classifications, etc.
29 (9) Examine the State's procurement practices to
30 determine where the Commonwealth could best apply and support
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1 new technological applications to increase productivity.
2 (10) Examine and make recommendations for changes in
3 State civil service laws that retard productivity
4 improvements.
5 (11) Make recommendations for components of an overall
6 Commonwealth productivity policy.
7 (12) Suggest a model law for productivity bargaining in
8 the governmental sector.
9 (13) Examine any other areas of interest pertaining to
10 the improvement of State and local government productivity.
11 Section 5. Staff and activities of council.
12 The council shall carry out its duties and responsibilities
13 through the hiring of professional staff and assistants,
14 including consultants, and may hold conferences, conduct
15 seminars, formulate model programs, furnish assistance, and
16 carry out any other activities relating to the council's duties
17 and responsibilities delineated in section 4.
18 Section 6. Reports.
19 The council may issue interim reports including a plan of
20 action for increasing the productivity of the government in the
21 Commonwealth, and said plan shall be submitted no later than
22 January 1, 1981.
23 Section 7. Program review and information to General Assembly.
24 The council shall, among its other duties, review and advise
25 the General Assembly on the effectiveness and success of the
26 Governor's productivity improvement program and shall conduct an
27 ongoing quality control and verification process either directly
28 or by contract of the Governor's productivity improvement
29 program.
30 Section 8. Effective date.
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1 This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in
2 existence until January 1, 1983 unless reauthorized by the
3 General Assembly.
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