Enacts the "community needs integrity act" and establishes the community need review commission

BILL NUMBER:A8991

Title of bill

An act to amend the legislative law, in relation to enacting the community needs integrity act and establishing the communi- ty need review commission

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill reforms the "Member Item" process by enacting the Community Needs Integrity Act and establishes a Community Need Review Commission.

Summary of specific provisions

This bill adds a new article 6-A to the Legislative Law to create the Community Need Review Commission. The Commission shall consist of twelve members to be appointed as follows: three members shall be appointed by the Temporary President of the Senate, three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, three members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate and three members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly. The members of the Commission, in cooperation with the Attor- ney General and the Comptroller shall be charged with overseeing and reviewing the distribution of member item funds set forth in the state budget.

Members of the Commission are also charged with safeguarding the integ- rity and openness of determining how member items shall be distributed and for providing public access to that process. Members will establish guidelines for prioritizing and ranking requests and will make the list of requests available to the public on or before March 17th of each year. Final funding decisions shall be made available to the public on or before April 8th of each year. Finally, members of the Commission are charged with developing a Community Needs Integrity Plan to provide for the fair distribution of funds to all regions of the state. Funds shall be awarded to programs based upon need, quality and merit. The allocation of funds will be clearly referenced with projects being described with specificity. Lastly, the plan will establish sanctions in the event that funds are inappropriately disbursed and will establish expedited collection mechanisms to recoup such funds.

Justification

The politically controlled member item process has long been in need of reform. As our state faces its worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, every taxpayer dollar that is spent needs to be scrutinized. Historically, the majority parties receive the lion's share of these funds. By way of example, before the recent coup, the Senate Majority was expected to receive $77 million of the $85 million allo- cated for that house despite only holding a two seat majority. The member item process needs to be changed so that it is open, fair and transparent.

Prior legislative history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

To be determined

Effective date

Immediately.