HD13 - Interim Report: Boards and Commissions


Executive Summary:
House Joint Resolution 159 (HJR 159), passed by the 2002 General Assembly, created the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Operations, Practices, Duties and Funding of the Commonwealth's Agencies, Boards, Commissions, Councils and Other Governmental Entities (the Subcommittee). HJR 159 directs the Subcommittee to carry out a two-year study. The Subcommittee focused this year on boards, commissions and other collegial bodies within the Executive Branch.

The Subcommittee met five times during the year. It surveyed Executive Branch collegial bodies, collected numerous types of information and data about the bodies, and received significant input from the Executive Branch during its deliberations.

The Subcommittee focused its attention on 36 issues involving 66 boards, commissions and other types of collegial bodies. Based on its review and deliberations, the Subcommittee recommended:

• The elimination of 46 collegial bodies because they no longer serve a useful or necessary role,
• The merger of four collegial bodies with closely-related or overlapping purposes resulting in two bodies,
• The merger of two agencies and the elimination of one foundation, and
• That no action be taken regarding 15 bodies.

Legislation was drafted and introduced by Subcommittee members to initiate General Assembly consideration of the Subcommittee's recommendations.

HJR 159 directed the Subcommittee to submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2003 Session of the General Assembly. This report was approved by the Subcommittee on December 10, 2002. The report is set out in three chapters. Chapter I describes the scope of the first-year efforts of the Subcommittee and the study methodology employed. Chapter II summarizes the activities and outcomes of the five Subcommittee meetings. Chapter III presents the recommendations of the Subcommittee.