THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY WANSACZ, BURNS, BENNINGHOFF, CUTLER, EVERETT, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KOTIK, MAHONEY, MARSHALL, McILVAINE SMITH, MELIO, MURT, MUSTIO, PYLE, REICHLEY, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, STABACK, SWANGER, R. TAYLOR AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 23, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 23, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study

the fiscal impact on consolidating and reducing the number of

State agencies and departments under the authority of the

Governor.

WHEREAS, The current fiscal condition facing State government

is raising the issue of the consolidation of all State agencies

and departments; and

WHEREAS, The result of having big bureaucracy in this

Commonwealth has caused a lack of coordination and focus on

major functions, wasteful administrative spending and a lack of

accountability to the public; and

WHEREAS, The goal of this study is to reduce State agencies

and departments by 30%, which will eliminate unnecessary

bureaucracy, clarify responsibility for governmental functions

and concentrate departments around core State functions; and

WHEREAS, Full-scale State agency consolidation provides a

very effective way to save money for taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, There is no need to maintain separate agencies and

departments, each with its own staggering and growing

administrative costs, when reducing their number could improve

their effectiveness and efficiency; and

WHEREAS, Departments or agencies that perform similar

functions should be grouped together, such as the Governor's

proposal for putting long-term living services under the

umbrella of one agency that would be renamed the Department of

Aging and Long-Term Living; and

WHEREAS, This shift will improve services to Pennsylvanians,

streamline paperwork for providers and improve business

practices to make it possible to expand this Commonwealth's

aging and disabled services; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

conduct a study to determine the fiscal impact of consolidating

and reducing the number of State agencies and departments under

the authority of the Governor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

analyze the manner in which other states have consolidated state

government agencies and departments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

issue a report containing its findings and two merger proposals

to the General Assembly no later than six months after the

adoption of this resolution.