HD44 - Organization of the Executive Branch in Virginia

  • Published: 1984
  • Author: Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 33 (Regular Session, 1982)

Executive Summary:
House Joint Resolution 33 of the 1982 General Assembly directed the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to "study the organizational structure of the executive branch for the purpose of determining the most efficient and effective structure." An interim report, published in January 1983, outlined areas of inquiry, the research approach, and preliminary findings.

House Joint Resolution 6, passed by the 1983 General Assembly, extended the study. Three reports, addressing the major components of the executive branch, were published in January 1984:

• "An Assessment of the Secretarial System in the Commonwealth of Virginia;"

• "An Assessment of the Role of Boards and Commissions in the Executive Branch of Virginia;"

• "An Assessment of Structural Targets in the Executive Branch of Virginia."

This summary document is an overview and synthesis of these JLARC reports, and provides an update, where appropriate, on the status of the recommendations.

The principal findings and recommendations in JLARC's reports constituted a blueprint for action presented, in conjunction with the Governor's reorganization proposals, for the consideration of the 1984 session of the General Assembly. The General Assembly and the Governor are the principal architects of structural change.

JLARC and the Chief Executive conducted independent assessments of the organization of State government. The two staffs cooperated fully at important points in the process. The JLARC schedule, for example, was advanced to accommodate the Governor's request to report in preliminary form to his September Conference on Critical Reevaluation of State Government. The cooperation was beneficial to both parties in gauging reaction and fine-tuning proposals.

Certainly, there is no one perfect way to organize government, nor is there necessarily consensus on what arrangements arc most efficient and effective. Of primary importance is clearly focusing accountability for management of State government.

In its review, JLARC took an aggressive, structural approach, recognizing that decision makers would be likely to consider additional questions which might affect final outcomes. Such questions potentially include:

• What do we want to accomplish?

• What do we want to emphasize?

• Is it politically feasible?

• What are the historical precedents?

• What are the fiscal constraints and opportunities?

As recorded in this summary, the Legislature considered a wide range of reorganization bills during the 1984 session; most were adopted in whole or in part. Other proposals require further consideration and may properly become part of the agenda for the next legislative session. Table 1 provides an overview of the recommendations in the three previous JLARC reports, an update on the status of most recommendations, and an index to the discussion of each recommendation in this summary report.