State Agencies May Have to Submit Fiscal Plans

Stan Saylor (R-York) has proposed House Bill 726, which he says would make state agencies accountable to taxpayers and voters. If passed, the legislation would require state agency programs to submit a plan for their activities for no less than four years ahead of the fiscal year in which it is submitted. Saylor says that this could help repair the Commonwealth's budget deficit.

"This is intended to make us look back at how we're spending money, what programs are doing, and where are the failures of the program. If the program is not working, you may eliminate it. If the program is working to a certain extent where it's having some success but not as much as you would like as your goal, then, well, you have to analyze why it's failing."

Saylor adds that an agency can change their four year plan if they feel like they need more money or if they need to change their overarching goal. He says with bipartisan support, he hopes to get the bill into the Senate by June.