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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 31, 2019 10:41 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Ryan P. Aument |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Biennial (Two-Year) Budget |
| In the near future I intend to reintroduce legislation that would establish a biennial (two-year) budget cycle in Pennsylvania. Through a constitutional amendment, this proposal would require the enactment of a budget covering a two-year period. Such a proposal would increase efficiency and productivity in state government, and encourage long-range planning among state agencies and other entities receiving state appropriations. A two-year budget cycle would help to facilitate comprehensive planning by incorporating a long-term perspective and allowing for increased predictability in the budget process. This proposal would put into place a commitment to move expenditures and policy in a given direction for a longer period of time, and reduces costs of both time and resources. Further, such a process would allow for in-depth review and evaluation of state programs and encourage outcome-focused budgeting. This proposal was introduced as Senate Bill 526 of the 2017-2018 session and was co-sponsored by Senators Bartolotta, Schwank, Vulakovich, Folmer, Martin, DiSanto, Ward, Yudichak, Rafferty, Mensch, Boscola, Scavello, Brewster, Dinniman, Stefano, Wagner, and Regan. Our current budget process is time-consuming, repetitive, and inefficient. Repeating this fight every year only contributes to the complexity of the budget process and encourages delay. Please join me in supporting this proposal to reform the budget process. |