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04 LC 18 2971
House Bill
1129
By: Representatives Mitchell of the 61st, Post 3, and Mangham of the 62nd
By: Representatives Mitchell of the 61st, Post 3, and Mangham of the 62nd
A BILL TO BE
ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 37 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding
administration of mental health, developmental disabilities, addictive diseases,
and other disability services, so as to provide for the Community Service Board
Overview Commission; to provide for such
commission´s
organization, vacancies, duties, powers, and expenditures; to provide for the
appointment, qualifications, terms, compensation, allowances, and expenses of
members; to provide for commission assistance, staffing, and services; to
provide for community service board cooperation; to provide for reports; to
provide for legal enforcement; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 37 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding administration of
mental health, developmental disabilities, addictive diseases, and other
disability services, is amended by adding a new Code section at the end thereof,
to be designated Code Section 37-2-12, to read as
follows:
"37-2-12.
"37-2-12.
(a) There is created as a joint committee of the General
Assembly the Community Service Board Overview Committee to be composed of four
members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House
and four members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments.
The members of the committee shall serve two-year terms concurrent with their
terms as members of the General Assembly. A cochairperson of the committee shall
be appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments from the membership of the
committee, and a cochairperson of the committee shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House from the membership of the committee. The cochairpersons
shall serve terms of two years concurrent with their terms as members of the
General Assembly. Vacancies in an appointed
member´s
position or in the offices of cochairperson of the committee shall be filled for
the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. The committee
shall periodically inquire into and review the operations of the community
service boards, as well as periodically review and evaluate the success with
which the community service boards are accomplishing their statutory duties and
functions as provided in this article.
(b) The state auditor, the Attorney General, and all other agencies of state government, upon request by the committee, shall assist the committee in the discharge of its duties set forth in this Code section. The committee may employ not more than two staff members and may secure the services of independent accountants, engineers, and consultants.
(c) All community service boards shall cooperate with the committee, its authorized personnel, the Attorney General, the state auditor, and other state agencies in order that the charges of the committee, set forth in this Code section, may be timely and efficiently discharged. All community service boards shall submit to the committee such reports and data as the committee shall reasonably require of the community service boards in order that the committee may adequately perform its functions. The Attorney General is authorized to bring appropriate legal actions to enforce any laws specifically or generally relating to the community service boards. The committee shall, on or before the first day of January of each year, and at such other times as it deems necessary, submit to the General Assembly a report of its findings and recommendations based upon the review of the community service boards, as set forth in this Code section.
(d) In the discharge of its duties, the committee shall evaluate the performance of community service boards consistent with the following criteria:
(1) Prudent, legal, and accountable expenditure of public funds;
(2) Efficient operation; and
(3) Performance of their statutory responsibilities.
(e) The committee is authorized to expend state funds available to the committee for the discharge of its duties. Said funds may be used for the purposes of compensating staff personnel, paying for services of independent accountants, engineers, and consultants, and paying all other necessary expenses incurred by the committee in performing its duties.
(f) The members of the committee shall receive the same compensation, per diem, expenses, and allowances for their service on the committee as is authorized by law for members of interim legislative study committees.
(g) The funds necessary for the purposes of the committee shall come from the funds appropriated to and available to the legislative branch of government."
(b) The state auditor, the Attorney General, and all other agencies of state government, upon request by the committee, shall assist the committee in the discharge of its duties set forth in this Code section. The committee may employ not more than two staff members and may secure the services of independent accountants, engineers, and consultants.
(c) All community service boards shall cooperate with the committee, its authorized personnel, the Attorney General, the state auditor, and other state agencies in order that the charges of the committee, set forth in this Code section, may be timely and efficiently discharged. All community service boards shall submit to the committee such reports and data as the committee shall reasonably require of the community service boards in order that the committee may adequately perform its functions. The Attorney General is authorized to bring appropriate legal actions to enforce any laws specifically or generally relating to the community service boards. The committee shall, on or before the first day of January of each year, and at such other times as it deems necessary, submit to the General Assembly a report of its findings and recommendations based upon the review of the community service boards, as set forth in this Code section.
(d) In the discharge of its duties, the committee shall evaluate the performance of community service boards consistent with the following criteria:
(1) Prudent, legal, and accountable expenditure of public funds;
(2) Efficient operation; and
(3) Performance of their statutory responsibilities.
(e) The committee is authorized to expend state funds available to the committee for the discharge of its duties. Said funds may be used for the purposes of compensating staff personnel, paying for services of independent accountants, engineers, and consultants, and paying all other necessary expenses incurred by the committee in performing its duties.
(f) The members of the committee shall receive the same compensation, per diem, expenses, and allowances for their service on the committee as is authorized by law for members of interim legislative study committees.
(g) The funds necessary for the purposes of the committee shall come from the funds appropriated to and available to the legislative branch of government."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
repealed.