PRINTER'S NO. 1210
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
222
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MENSCH, BREWSTER, PHILLIPS-HILL, VOGEL, DINNIMAN,
MARTIN, FONTANA, J. WARD, FARNESE, BLAKE, BARTOLOTTA, BROWNE,
ARGALL, MASTRIANO AND KILLION, SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee on its
60th anniversary.
WHEREAS, After strong bipartisan legislative support in
passing the bill, on August 4, 1959, HB 260 was approved by the
Governor as Act 195 of 1959, thereby creating the Legislative
Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) as a bipartisan, bicameral
legislative service agency comprised of 12 members of the
General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Act 195 authorizes the LBFC to conduct studies and
make recommendations to eliminate unnecessary expenditures,
promote economy in State government and assure that State funds
are being expended appropriately; and
WHEREAS, Initially, the LBFC reviewed budget numbers,
conducted random and unannounced visitations to State
facilities, reviewed the fiscal impact of bills, reviewed budget
requests and provided support at budget hearings; and
WHEREAS, In 1974, the core of the LBFC's activity was recast
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to undertake comprehensive program evaluation studies, by which
it would do in-depth examinations of ongoing State programs and
agencies; and
WHEREAS, Between 1983 and 1991, the General Assembly also
tasked the LBFC with conducting sunset audits of a schedule of
86 Commonwealth agencies evaluating their continued need; and
WHEREAS, The LBFC has conducted hundreds of projects covering
a myriad of important public policy and State program areas,
such as aging, emergency preparedness, rural affairs,
transportation, community and economic development, local
government, environmental protection, liquor control, education,
health and welfare, game and fisheries and veteran's affairs,
among others; and
WHEREAS, The LBFC has received multiple impact awards from
the National Legislative Performance Evaluation Society
acknowledging the excellence of LBFC work; and
WHEREAS, The LBFC has maintained capable staff with strong
professional qualifications and backgrounds in areas, including
government research, budgeting, public administration, business
administration, accounting and law, among others; and
WHEREAS, The LBFC has functioned in a bipartisan, bicameral
manner with its four officers representing the four caucuses of
the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the LBFC remains "providing members
of the Pennsylvania General Assembly timely, accurate, and
unbiased information, analysis, and performance evaluation to
inform their policy decisions"; and
WHEREAS, Over its 60-year existence, the LBFC has ably
performed a vital and necessary role in Pennsylvania's
legislative process, helping to ensure proper accountability and
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stewardship of public funds and resources, finding ways to
improve government, identifying critical issues to safeguard
public resources and strengthening government control systems;
and
WHEREAS, August 4, 2019, marks the 60-year anniversary of the
LBFC; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the Legislative Budget
and Finance Committee on its 60th anniversary; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate express appreciation for the
significant contribution that the members and staff of the LBFC
have made to the State legislative process by providing
independent, objective, bipartisan analysis and assessments of
the stewardship, performance and cost of government with the
unbiased goal of always improving Pennsylvania's system of
government for the benefit of this Commonwealth.
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