House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

Posted:	December 12, 2017 01:54 PM
From:	Representative Seth M. Grove
To:	All House members
Subject:	Providing the IFO with Complete Access to Budgetary Information

The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) was created in 2010 to provide, “impartial and timely analysis of fiscal, economic and budgetary issues to assist…the General Assembly in their evaluation of policy decisions”. In order to provide the impartial and nonpartisan fiscal analysis expected of their office, the IFO requires access to the Commonwealth’s financial data. However, the IFO can only provide analysis on the data they receive from the Budget Office and other Commonwealth agencies. This reliance on the administration, regardless of political party, limits how effective the IFO can be as an independent fiscal watchdog. In order to ensure the IFO can perform the role intended for the office under current law, I plan to introduce new legislation. This legislation would require the Budget Office to provide the IFO with the same access to budgetary information as the Budget Office. By empowering the IFO to have full access to the Commonwealth’s financial information, the office can operate as the independent watchdog and provide the nonpartisan analysis as intended under law. Please join me and co-sponsor this good government legislation. Should you have any questions please contact Jordan Grant at Jgrant@pahousegop.com
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Introduced as HB2011