SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10

(By Senators Tomblin, Mr. President, Bowman, McKenzie, Oliverio, Anderson, Dittmar, Snyder, Prezioso, Craigo, Macnaughtan, White, Ross, Bailey, Schoonover, Sharpe, Buckalew, Kimble, Minear, Dugan, Boley, Ball, Hunter, Chafin and Jackson)


Requesting the joint committee on government and finance to create a joint committee of members of the Senate and House of Delegates to investigate the feasibility of decentralizing government services, to develop recommendations and to report back to the Legislature.

Whereas, Citizen accessibility to government services has been more difficult with the increasing complexity of the government bureaucracy and the spread of suburban development moving citizens farther away from the urban center where most government services are located; and
Whereas, As a result of the above, a need exists to improve access to state government services and to reduce traffic congestion and driving distance for citizens; and
Whereas, The development of state government offices throughout the state of West Virginia could provide an easier access to government processes by providing electronic access terminals, telephones, telefacisimile, and photocopying machines or other services for the public to conduct business with state agencies; and
Whereas, The need exists for a comprehensive feasibility study to determine the services of and cost effectiveness of establishing offices for governmental functions throughout the state of West Virginia; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That there is hereby created a joint committee of the Senate and House of Delegates consisting of five members of the Senate, to be designated by the president of the Senate, with no more than three members from the same political party, and five members of the House of Delegates, to be designated by the speaker of the House of Delegates, with no more than three members of the same political party, and who shall be empowered: (1) To investigate the feasibility of decentralizing government offices and services to the public; (2) to ascertain the actual cost and potential savings if any decentralization were to occur; (3) to hold hearings thereon; (4) to make findings of facts and conclusions based on such investigation and hearings; and (5) to make conclusions and recommendations as to legislation to effect decentralization; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall meet in Charleston or elsewhere, as it may consider necessary or appropriate; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall report on or before the second Wednesday of January, 1998, to the Legislature on its findings and any recommendations which the committee may deem proper; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation, be paid from legislation appropriation to the joint committee on government and finance.