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1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||
5 | Commission on Taxpayer Oversight and Reduction of State | ||||||
6 | Spending Act. | ||||||
7 | Section 5. Legislative intent. It is the continuing policy | ||||||
8 | of the State to provide the citizens of Illinois with a | ||||||
9 | government that is accountable to the taxpayers. To carry out | ||||||
10 | this policy effectively, it is essential that the General | ||||||
11 | Assembly examine expenditures of the State for programs and | ||||||
12 | services and make recommendations to reduce spending. | ||||||
13 | Section 10. Creation of Commission. The Commission on | ||||||
14 | Taxpayer Oversight and Reduction of State Spending, hereafter | ||||||
15 | in this Act referred to as the "Commission", is hereby created | ||||||
16 | in the Governor's Office of Management and Budget to examine | ||||||
17 | expenditures of the State and make recommendations to the | ||||||
18 | Governor and General Assembly to reduce State spending. The | ||||||
19 | Commission shall: | ||||||
20 | (1) Conduct investigations to ascertain facts, review | ||||||
21 | appropriations and expenditures, and make recommendations | ||||||
22 | and reports concerning revenues and expenditures of the |
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1 | State, its departments, subdivisions, and agencies, | ||||||
2 | whether created by the Constitution or otherwise. | ||||||
3 | (2) Review the budget submitted by the Governor and | ||||||
4 | make recommendations for reducing expenditures set forth | ||||||
5 | in the budget, provided the Commission shall take into | ||||||
6 | account any specific areas of reductions recommended for | ||||||
7 | the Commission's review by the Governor and the statewide | ||||||
8 | prioritized budgetary goals established by Section 50-25 | ||||||
9 | of the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of | ||||||
10 | Illinois, as those goals are reflected in the budget | ||||||
11 | submitted by the Governor. | ||||||
12 | (3) Review programs, strategies, and activities | ||||||
13 | conducted by agencies and grant recipients to determine | ||||||
14 | whether they are achieving the prioritized outcomes and | ||||||
15 | meeting the goals established under Section 50-25 of the | ||||||
16 | State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of | ||||||
17 | Illinois in an efficient manner and make recommendations to | ||||||
18 | reduce appropriations or expenditures of agencies and | ||||||
19 | grant recipients failing to meet the outcomes and goals. | ||||||
20 | (4) Consider budgetary reductions at the State and | ||||||
21 | local levels of government through the reduction or | ||||||
22 | elimination of statutorily mandated expenditures or the | ||||||
23 | consolidation of government agencies and instrumentalities | ||||||
24 | to eliminate waste and inefficiency in the operation of | ||||||
25 | State and local government. | ||||||
26 | The Commission shall have continuing existence and may |
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1 | meet, act, and conduct its business at any place within this | ||||||
2 | State, during the sessions of the General Assembly or any | ||||||
3 | recess thereof, and in the interim periods between sessions. | ||||||
4 | Section 15. Composition of Committee. The Commission shall | ||||||
5 | consist of 8 members as follows: 2 members of the General | ||||||
6 | Assembly appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom | ||||||
7 | shall serve as co-chair of the Commission; 2 members of the | ||||||
8 | General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House of | ||||||
9 | Representatives, one of whom shall serve as co-chair of the | ||||||
10 | Commission; 2 members of the General Assembly appointed by the | ||||||
11 | Minority Leader of the Senate; and 2 members of the General | ||||||
12 | Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | ||||||
13 | Representatives. The Governor shall appoint 2 additional | ||||||
14 | members to serve in a non-voting, advisory capacity. A vacancy | ||||||
15 | shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment. | ||||||
16 | Section 20. Reports of the Commission. The Commission may, | ||||||
17 | upon the concurrence of a majority of its members, issue a | ||||||
18 | report with recommendations. The Commission shall conduct at | ||||||
19 | least one public hearing prior to issuing any report and allow | ||||||
20 | interested persons to present their views and comments. The | ||||||
21 | Commission may prescribe reasonable rules for the conduct of | ||||||
22 | public hearings and issuance of reports. Reports of the | ||||||
23 | Commission shall include the following: (i) the expenditure, | ||||||
24 | State program, or service examined; (ii) a detailed description |
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1 | of the investigation conducted by the Commission; (iii) any | ||||||
2 | inquiries for the Governor, if applicable, related to the | ||||||
3 | expenditure, State program, or service; (iv) specific | ||||||
4 | recommendations for change, improvement, reduction, or | ||||||
5 | elimination of the State program or service; and (v) a detailed | ||||||
6 | formal request for action by the Governor. Any report making a | ||||||
7 | recommendation shall be filed with the Governor, Secretary of | ||||||
8 | the Senate, and Clerk of the House of Representatives. | ||||||
9 | Section 25. Response of the Governor. Upon receipt of a | ||||||
10 | report, the Governor shall respond, in writing, within 30 | ||||||
11 | calendar days. Such response shall be filed with the Secretary | ||||||
12 | of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives. The | ||||||
13 | Governor's response shall include a response to any inquiries | ||||||
14 | made in the report and a specific response to each | ||||||
15 | recommendation of the Commission stating whether the Governor | ||||||
16 | accepts or rejects the recommendation. If the Governor accepts | ||||||
17 | a recommendation of the Commission, the response shall include | ||||||
18 | a description of any action that has or will be taken to comply | ||||||
19 | with the recommendation. If the Governor rejects the | ||||||
20 | recommendation of the Commission, the response shall include | ||||||
21 | reasons for the rejection. | ||||||
22 | Section 30. Cooperation of State agencies. The Governor's | ||||||
23 | Office of Management and Budget shall cooperate with the | ||||||
24 | Commission by providing relevant data, documents, and other |
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1 | information as requested by the Commission. The Governor's | ||||||
2 | Office of Management and Budget shall, upon request, provide | ||||||
3 | the Commission with an analysis of the costs or savings | ||||||
4 | associated with any potential recommendation. At the request of | ||||||
5 | the Commission, each State agency shall, without delay, make | ||||||
6 | available any record or information requested and shall provide | ||||||
7 | for examination and copying of all records, accounts, papers, | ||||||
8 | reports, vouchers, correspondence, books and other | ||||||
9 | documentation in the custody of that agency, including | ||||||
10 | information stored in electronic data processing systems, | ||||||
11 | which is related to or within the scope of an investigation | ||||||
12 | conducted by the Commission. | ||||||
13 | Section 35. Administrative support. The Governor's Office | ||||||
14 | of Management and Budget shall provide administrative and other | ||||||
15 | support to the Commission.
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16 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
17 | becoming law.
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