Establishes the New York state independent budget office

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Adds a new article 4-B to the Legislative Law titled NEW YORK STATE INDEPENDENT BUDGET OFFICE

Duties of the NYSIBO shall include providing members and committees of the legislature information with respect to:

*the budget, appropriation bills and bills with fiscal implications; *estimated revenues and receipts, and changing revenue conditions; *the effectiveness of sate agencies and programs; and *the extent practicable, other analyses requested by such officials or the general public.

Specific responsibilities of the NYSIBO will include:

*completing a fiscal impact statement for any bill placed on an Assembly Ways and Means or Senate Finance Committee agenda to the extent possible; *completing a fiscal impact statement on any bill at the request of the Speaker or Minority Leader of the Assembly or the Majority or Minority Leader of the Senate; *completing a fiscal impact statement at the request of committee chairs or ranking members for any bill referred to their respective committee; *analyzing the Executive Budget by IVIarch 1st for the upcoming fiscal year and reporting their findings to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee; *completing a fiscal impact statement at the request of committee chairs or ranking members for any bill referred to their respective committee; *publishing a quarterly report that estimates revenue projections; and *publishing a report by DecemberÖreach year projecting a five year fiscal outlook.

The office shall, the extent practicable, develop proposals for cost effective alternatives to meet the public responsibilities of the State. The office shall publish reports to enhance understanding of budget documents, revenues, expenditures, state management practices and related matters. All analyses and reports shall be made available for the public and shall be available electronically.

The director of the NYSIBO shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and Majority Leader of the Senate, based on the recommendations of the Independent Budget Office Advisory Committee

(NYSIBOAC). The NYSIBOAC shall consist of one person appointed by each of the following officials:

*the chair and ranking member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee; *the chair and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee; *six additional members jointly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Majority Leader of the Senate. These members must consist of at least one of each of the following: *one expert in budget theory and the budget process; *one dean (or former) or director of a graduate school of business administration, public affairs or public administration located in New York State; *one officer or former officer or economic advisor or a labor union; *one officer or former officer or economic advisor to a business corporation; and *one officer or former officer of a civic or public interest advocacy organization involved in budget matters.

The NYSIBOAC shall develop guidelines for the best practices of the office and shall meet annually with the director to review the guidelines.

The member of the NYSIBOAC shall receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonably expenses incurred in connection with their duties. The director shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation for a six year term. The director's salary shall be determined by the NYSIBOAC.

Justification

Modeled after the highly successful Congressional Budget Office and the New York City Independent Budget office, this legislation establishes a non-partisan office to provide legislators with the objective information they need to make decisions regarding the budget. Accurate, up-to-date information is a key ingredient for prudent, timely budgetary and public policy decisions. This newly created office will provide that to all State lawmakers. Each year the Independent Budget NYSIBO will provide the Senate Finance Committee members and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee members with an Executive Budget analyses by March 1st. This provides ample time to review the analyses before the budget deadline of April 1st.

New York City's Independent Budget has recently published reports on issues including Budget Options for the City, Financing Plans for Stadiums, Debt Affordability Measures for the City and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Budget in Staten Island. As in New York City, the NYSIBO will provide legislators and the public with financial information covering varying issues.

All legislators, regardless of political affiliation will be able to utilize the services of the NYSIBO. As this will be a non-partisan office, Senate and Assembly Members will have access to the same data, analyses and information thereby helping to eliminate the annual conflicts that emerge over the disparities in both revenue and expenditures projections. This will result in an on-time budget based on sound fiscal policy.

All documentation from this office will be made available to the public in order to grant the public access to the same information as the legislature. At least 23 other states including California, Texas, Florida, Connecticut and Vermont have already established non-partisan budget offices to assist their Legislatures.

Prior legislative history

A. 7184 of 2011/2012 A. 5925 and S. 3137 of 2009/2010 A. 7645 and S. 4618 of 2007/2008 A. 11196 and S. 7872 of 2005/2006

Fiscal implications

The New York State Independent Budget Office shall be funded by 10% of the appropriations available for the Division Budget.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.