05 LC 19
6392
House
Bill 35
By:
Representative Mitchell of the
88th
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
commissiońs
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.
(a)
There is created the Community Service Board Overview Commission 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 commission shall serve two-year terms concurrent
with their terms as members of the General Assembly. A cochairperson of the
commission shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments from the
membership of the commission, and a cochairperson of the commission shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House from the membership of the commission. The
cochairpersons shall serve terms of two years concurrent with their terms as
members of the General Assembly. Vacancies in an appointed
membeŕs
position or in the offices of cochairperson of the commission shall be filled
for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. The
commission 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 commission, shall assist the commission in the
discharge of its duties set forth in this Code section. The commission 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 commission, its authorized
personnel, the Attorney General, the state auditor, and other state agencies in
order that the charges of the commission, set forth in this Code section, may be
timely and efficiently discharged. All community service boards shall submit to
the commission such reports and data as the commission shall reasonably require
of the community service boards in order that the commission 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 commission 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 commission 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 commission is authorized to expend state funds available to the commission
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 commission in performing its duties.
(f)
The members of the commission shall receive the same compensation, per diem,
expenses, and allowances for their service on the commission as is authorized by
law for members of interim legislative study committees.
(g)
The funds necessary for the purposes of the commission 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.