"Sunsetting" State Agencies: A Good Idea?
Our Florida House of Representatives leaders have called for legislation requiring the review of state agencies every eight years - and abolishing those that outlive their usefulness.
The new law, called the “Government Accountability Act”, would create a 12-member commission: five senators, five representatives and two outside appointees chosen by the speaker and Senate president. The Legislature would set an eight-year timetable for each agency's review. The commission would recommend whether agencies should stay the same, reorganize, get new duties, shed old ones, be merged or be abolished.
Unless the Legislature acted, departments would automatically be abolished. Legislators could change the schedule, triggering a review in less than eight years. The eight-year timetable coincides with the term limits of legislators, governors and Cabinet officers. In most cases, it would mean a department would have to justify itself to virtually a whole new Legislature each time it came up for reauthorization.
Departments headed by constitutional officers, such as the attorney general or chief justice, would be exempt from abolition.
Texas set up a review commission in 1977 and since then has consolidated 11 agencies while abolishing 47 agencies or boards. Texas has saved an estimated $736.9 million by eliminating agencies or functions of departments.
Florida has had a more limited procedure known as "sunset" for periodic review of laws governing departments and agencies that have regulatory powers and "sundown" for review of boards, commissions and councils created to advise state agencies. The Legislature has created new agencies and merged old ones, but there is no mandated abolition of departments in current law.
We would like to know what you think about this proposed legislation:
Are you supportive of the “Government Accountability Act” for improving the effectiveness of our state government? Why or why not?
posted by Blog Master @ 12:03 AM
20 Comments:
This is a very good idea. It will keep all the state agencies on their toes concerning doing a good job. If they don't, they will be gone!
Based on my experience with state government agencies, I have three groups that would be on my high priority list for review: DEP, DOT and the State Parks. They all need major attention.
anyone think our state government would ever get rid of any department? i don't.
I had seen an article about this a few days ago, not in the Star Banner by the way. Here is a good quote from Allan Bense, Speaker of the House and a major sponsor of this effort:
“Nothing focuses a bureaucrat's mind on efficiency and productivity like the knowledge that a budget ax is hanging overhead.”
That is also my point of view.
Glad the blog picked up on this issue.
I do beleive those proposing this bill will make it work. the Republicans need to show the voters they are going to control spending. This is a good way to do that.
I think the idea that the State Legislature has could be something to adopt at the local level of government. It might be good to have each Marion County and/or City of Ocala department justify its usefulness every few years.
I can't imagine their are any county or city departments you could actually eliminate. Maybe they could be reorganized, but I doubt any could be done away with.
In the county, how about a 6 person group to do the same things the Accountability Act will do?
Have 3 Commissioners and 3 citizens on the group to evaluate each of the county departments from time to time.
I can not think of a reason not to implemnt Sunset.
At a local level, we should be the watchdogs. We should go to meetings and ask questions. We should request documents pursuant to the Public Records law.
Heck, we ask others to do stuff, and then complain about the doers.
great idea! let's just hope our elected officials will make the right, not the safest, decision. and let's hope we fire them if they don't!
I think this would work in the county. Can't imagine Randy Harris not liking this.
i'm with charles. why not do this.if a government function is really providing services, they should have no fear of sunsetting.
Understand the state education department will be exempt from this. That is a big mistake!
A great idea that will never get off the ground! Entrenched government agencies will beat down the politicians.
This is a good idea.
Don
(OTOW)
Why has this not gotten more press coverage? Perhaps because it is being pushed by Republicans.
"Sunsetting" can be achieved in more ways that just killing a department. Citizen input is vital in government, local government especially. Several years ago, I got involved in an effort to stop the (cash) bleeding at the Marion County Parks Dept., where there was no oversight, little accountability, and gross waste. It took two or three years before the county commission, acting on recommendations of the PELAAC board, reorganized Parks, and forced change. The old Parks director, a nice guy, finally resigned, and we got a new director, who has shaped up a department where the employees are responsive, parks are open and used, and we are a long way toward a pro-active policy of deveoping lands we own, finding new lands that are well located and can serve the communities, and the taxpayers who put up the money.
The agency "sunsetted" its old policy of buying and and installing fences and padlocks, of wasted money on bureaucracy and personnel, and became responsive to the community.
I urge citizens to get involved. Find your interest area, and then begin to serve. Both city and county officials have a hard time finding people who will serve, not just criticize. Join Friends of the Library, the new Friends of Parks, serve on the Board of Adjustment, the Zoning Board...whatever, just serve! Do more than just criticize, get involved! We need you and your ideas as we grow more than I personally would like to see.
--pwf
Maybe the county should absorb the city parks operation. I mentioned in a comment in another section that consolidation may be best if it is started on a smaller scale. I have seen this same suggestion elsewhere on the homeless blog.
I think Senator Smith has a good idea. Maybe even better than the Sunsetting State Agencies proposal discussed on the blog.
Rod Smith says that one of his first acts as Governor would be to lead an in-depth performance review of Florida government, including a review of the impacts of privatization on the costs and delivery of government sentences. Models for this kind of initiative have already been implemented in such states as Texas, New Mexico, and Virginia.
The review would focus on the four central areas of governmental management: money, people, infrastructure, and information. Its charge will be to evaluate and propose changes in Florida's management practices based on best practices in the other 49 states and in cutting-edge businesses.
Added Senator Smith, "Recent policies such as privatizing foster care, prisons and Medicaid - as well as schemes like private school vouchers - clearly have not worked. It's time to conduct a thorough examination of government's performance and improve the way government serves the people of Florida”.
No reports in this section for quite awhile. Now with the Legislature back in session there is progress to report on the Sunsetting idea.
This week the Governmental Operations Committee approved HB 1123, the Sunset Review Act, sponsored by Reps. Sansom, Rubio, and Cannon. This measure sunsets state agencies on a rotating basis and requires a review of the mission of state agencies before reauthorization by the Legislature.
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