PRINTER'S NO. 2498
No. 156 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY GERLACH, MARKOSEK, VANCE, GORDNER, TULLI, REBER,
KREBS, NICKOL, TIGUE, NYCE, PHILLIPS, NAILOR, DRUCE, RAYMOND,
STERN, BAKER, FAIRCHILD, HENNESSEY, PLATTS, DENT, FICHTER,
TRUE, DEMPSEY, BUNT, EGOLF, M. N. WRIGHT, PETTIT, MASLAND,
STEIL, MAITLAND, HUTCHINSON, WOGAN, SANTONI, KING, FLICK,
MARSICO, D. W. SNYDER, HANNA, CARONE, LAUB, E. Z. TAYLOR,
CLARK, MILLER, SCRIMENTI, ARGALL, FARMER, LYNCH, RUBLEY,
FAJT, L. I. COHEN, HERSHEY, SEMMEL AND HARLEY,
SEPTEMBER 29, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, SEPTEMBER 29, 1993
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to undertake a
2 study and review of the General Assembly.
3 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania ranks among the highest states for
4 average per capita cost for its legislative budget; and
5 WHEREAS, It is in the interest of the taxpayer that the
6 General Assembly be operated in the most efficient, productive
7 and cost-effective method; and
8 WHEREAS, In order to assess the efficiency, productivity and
9 effectiveness of the General Assembly, a detailed inquiry needs
10 to be undertaken into the following issues:
11 (1) Whether the number of legislators in the Senate and
12 House of Representatives should be changed and, if so, the
13 desired number of each body.
14 (2) Whether the terms of office of State Senator and
1 State Representative should be changed and, if so, what the
2 desired number of years for each term of office should be.
3 (3) Whether the salary, benefits and other forms of
4 compensation of legislators and legislative staff should be
5 increased, decreased or otherwise altered.
6 (4) Whether the process of determining compensation of
7 legislators and legislative staff should be changed and, if
8 so, identification of the most desirable process of
9 compensation determination.
10 (5) Whether the current administrative support and staff
11 of the General Assembly, including component equipment and
12 facilities, are providing reasonably useful and cost-
13 effective service to the members of the General Assembly and,
14 if not, recommendations as to how the internal structure of
15 the General Assembly's support staff, equipment and
16 facilities should be altered to produce reasonably
17 sufficient, useful and cost-effective services.
18 (6) Whether the process to determine the specific line
19 items of the General Assembly budget is appropriate or should
20 be changed or modified;
21 therefore be it
22 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
23 State Government Commission to establish an advisory task force
24 to conduct a study and issue a report containing findings of its
25 inquiry into the operation and efficiency of the Pennsylvania
26 General Assembly; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the advisory task force be composed as
28 follows:
29 (1) The Governor or his appointee.
30 (2) The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives
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1 or his appointee.
2 (3) The Minority Leader of the House Representatives or
3 his appointee.
4 (4) The Majority Leader of the Senate or his appointee.
5 (5) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his appointee.
6 (6) One representative from Common Cause.
7 (7) One representative from the League of Women Voters.
8 (8) One representative from business.
9 (9) One representative from labor.
10 (10) One representative from education.
11 (11) One representative from the professions;
12 and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the individuals identified in paragraphs (6)
14 through (11) in the preceding paragraph be appointed by majority
15 vote of the Joint State Government Commission; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, by and
17 through its staff, assist the advisory task force in the conduct
18 of completion of its study and report; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the advisory task force submit its report and
20 findings to the Joint State Government Commission and the House
21 of Representatives not later than September 1, 1994, unless
22 extended for such time, not to exceed six months, as determined
23 and approved by majority vote of the Joint State Government
24 Commission.
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