Public Management Systems, Legislative Commission on

The Legislative Commission on Economy and Efficiency in Government was established by Chapter 50, Laws of 1979 (the annual state budget act). It was continued in operation via reappropriations in the budget laws of succeeding years, but was never given any separate statutory base. In 1986, the budget law changed the commission's name to the Legislative Commission on Public Management Systems; however, its structure and duties have remained unchanged. The commission consists of 10 members, three each appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Majority Leader of the Senate and two each appointed by the Minority Leaders of the two houses. The administrative staff is headed by an Executive Director.

The mandate of the commission is to examine specific methods for increasing economy, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in State government. To this end, it is to review state government organization, management, administration, operations, procedures, and practices and make legislative recommendations for measures to promote the Commission's goals. From 1979 to 1986, the Commission operated various projects. These projects examined a number of topics, including performance measurement and reporting, procurement reform, financial management and accounting reform, internal accounting control, and state government organization (including the organization of the Lieutenant Governor's Office, possible reorganization of the Department of Labor, and the organization of State activities promoting economic development).

Typically, commission projects involve extensive research and review of targeted areas. Background research is done on the project topic, including the general and theoretical aspects of the topic as well as the project area's current status in New York State government. Commission staff generally gather information on the status of the topic in other state governments. Public hearings and conferences are often held to collect information and solicit opinions. Transcripts or reports on these hearings and conferences are included in the Commission's annual report.

Occasionally, contractors are engaged to study project areas. For instance, the commission contracted with the American Bar Association to study State procurement practices and with the SUNY Center for Women in Government to study comparable pay. At times, the commission works closely with Assembly and Senate standing committees on project topics, especially in drafting legislation. Detailed information on the results of these studies is generally found in the annual reports. Some projects appear to have been successful. For instance, the commission's financial management and accounting project resulted in a special commission report, "Accounting and Financial Reporting Reform in New York State," published in 1980. Reform legislation was drafted, in cooperation with the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, and introduced in 1980. After re-drafting, the legislation was enacted as the Accounting, Financial Reporting and Budget Accountability Reform Act (Chapter 405, Laws of 1981).

Likewise, the internal accounting control project issued a lengthy report, "Preventing Fraud, Waste, Abuse and Error: Internal Control Reform in New York State Government" in 1982 and drafted reform legislation on the subject. The Legislature initially failed to enact that legislation after opposition from the responsible State agencies which claimed that no legislation was needed. The commission, in its annual reports through 1986, continued to urge legislative action. The State Comptroller finally proposed an alternate version of internal control in 1986. In 1987, the Legislature enacted internal control legislation with provisions generally similar to those which had been previously proposed by the commission and State Comptroller.

Other projects do not seem to have produced immediate results. For instance, the performance measurement and reporting project started pilot projects in various state agencies in the early 1980's to test a new performance measurement reporting system. However, the pilot projects were soon abandoned after another performance measurement system was introduced by the Division of Budget. The commission unsuccessfully sought a role in implementing that new system. In 1986, the commission on Public Management Systems issued a report, Procurement Reform in New York State Government, which resulted from a project initiated several years earlier. These and other reports are published and are available in the New York State Library.

Legislative Law Article 5-A, Section 83-C providing for the commission is set to be repealed, unless specifically extended, on June 30, 2023.