House Bill 1178 (RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Horner of the 3rd, Tarvin of the 2nd, Persinger of the 119th, Scoggins of
the 14th, Ridley of the 6th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions regarding financial affairs, so as to establish the Budget and
Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee of the House of Representatives; to provide for
appointment; to provide for duties, functions, and powers; to provide for reporting and
summaries; to provide for member allowances; to provide for audits; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding financial affairs, is amended by revising Code Section 28-5-5,
which is reserved, as follows:
"28-5-5.
<ins>(a) There is created the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee comprising 19
members of the House of Representatives appointed in accordance with the rules of the
House of Representatives, to include the chairperson of the House Committee on
Appropriations. The members of such committee shall be selected within ten days after
</ins>
<ins>the convening of the General Assembly in each odd-numbered year and shall serve until
their successors are appointed.
(b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint a member of the committee
to serve as chairperson. The committee may meet up to nine times per year between
sessions and, upon the call of the chairperson, at such additional times as deemed necessary
by the chairperson, with the approval of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(c) It shall be the duty of such committee to consult with the Governor and the Office of
Planning and Budget concerning the development and implementation of the strategic
planning process, the development of outcome measures for program evaluation, and the
implementation of related actions.
(d) It shall be the duty of the committee to review and evaluate the following:
(1) The strategic plans for the state and individual departments submitted by the Office
of Planning and Budget;
(2) Information or reports to be submitted by the Office of Planning and Budget
identifying moneys received and the purposes for which moneys are expended in any
case in which the receipt or expenditure is not contemplated by an appropriations Act;
(3) Such other information or reports as deemed necessary by the committee; and
(4) Liabilities of the state and individual departments and agencies.
(e) The Office of Planning and Budget and the head of each budget unit shall cooperate
with the committee and shall provide such information or reports as requested by the
committee for the performance of its functions.
(f) The committee shall make an annual report of its activities and findings to the
membership of the General Assembly and the Governor within one week of the convening
of each regular session of the General Assembly. The chairperson of the committee shall
prepare written executive summaries of such report prior to the adoption of the General
Appropriations Act each year. The committee shall not be required to distribute copies of
the annual report or the executive summaries to the members of the General Assembly but
</ins>
<ins>shall notify members of the availability of such materials in the manner which it deems to
be most effective and efficient. The committee chairperson shall provide a copy of the
executive summaries to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairperson
of the House Committee on Appropriations.
(g) The members of the committee shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative
members of legislative committees. The funds necessary to pay such allowances shall
come from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives.
(h) The committee, upon a determination of necessity, shall be authorized to request that
a performance audit be conducted for any state or local governmental entity which receives
state funding. Such audit may be conducted by one or more third-party auditors. Subject
to approval by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the funds necessary to pay for
such audit shall come from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives.
(i) The committee shall have the power, at the discretion of the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, to call any elected official, state department, state agency, state employee,
county commissioner, county manager, or school superintendent to address the committee's
findings.</ins> <del>Reserved."
</del> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.