House Acts to Install Performance Reviews of State Depts

(Juneau) - The Alaska State House of Representatives today passed legislation to push for better accountability and review the performance and operations of state agencies. House Bill 166, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, re-institutes performance reviews for state departments and agencies, a practice ceased in the early 1980s.

I'd rather be in a position to make better, more informed decisions on doling out the people's money and HB 166 is a good start at getting us there.
~ Rep. Mike Chenault

Speaker Chenault says the bill fits within the Majority Caucus's foremost Guiding Principle for the 27th Alaska Legislature, promoting fiscal responsibility, because it forces the legislature to refocus on each agency to decide which expenditures are necessary and required state services. "We'll end up having a base we can look at to evaluate departments instead of looking at incremental increases," Speaker Chenault said. "It will give us an area and schedule we can look at when evaluating state spending on programs and projects - not only in the good times, when the price of oil is high - but also the when and how of addressing issues when revenues decline and we'd have to look at making cuts. I'd rather be in a position to make better, more informed decisions on doling out the people's money and HB 166 is a good start at getting us there."

The bill captures information including funding authority, mission and measures, audits, contractual audits, the Legislative Finance Division, other studies, HB 125-required ten-year plans, and fiscal policy recommendations. HB 166 also allows reviews of other state's best practices, participation by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL,) and the Texas Sunset guidelines, which inspired the bill, without the increase in staffing or bureaucracy in the legislative audit division.

Goal-setting is a key to establishing successful fiscal systems, and that's what HB 166 does.
~ Rep. Mike Hawker

"Goal-setting is a key to establishing successful fiscal systems, and that's what HB 166 does," Legislative Budget & Audit Chair Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage, said. "We are saying that there are no specific predefined outcomes. But the outcome is that we will be achieving improved fiscal responsibility and government accountability."

Reviews under the bill would begin this July covering the Department of Corrections. The Legislature, Office of the Governor and Court System would follow.

HB 166, which passed by a vote of 36 to one, now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration.