Chief Patron: Landes
Enhanced Estimates of Local Impacts

Item 112 #1h

Language
Page 93, line 26, strike "$339,624" and insert "$839,624".
Page 93, after line 30, insert:
"A. 1. Included in the amounts for this item is $500,000 from the general fund in the second year for the preparation of fiscal estimates of the impact of proposed legislation and amendments to the appropriation act that are anticipated to require a net additional expenditure by any county, city or town, or a net reduction of revenues for any county, city or town as a result of implementation of such legislation or appropriation item.
2. The Commission on Local Government shall convene a task force to determine a process for the preparation of fiscal estimates for legislation or appropriation items affecting local government expenditures and revenues.  As part of this effort, the task force shall examine how legislation and budget amendment items will be identified and referred for analysis, and determine the feasibility of using outside consultants or policy analysis experts to prepare the fiscal impact estimates.  The task force shall include representatives from the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of School Business Officials, city managers and county administrators, local government and school finance directors and local commissioners of revenue.  Members of the General Assembly and legislative staff will be consulted as needed.  
3.  The task force shall provide its findings to the Commission on Local Government.  As a condition of this appropriation, the Commission on Local Government shall provide a copy of the task force's work to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by December 1, 2013."

Explanation
(This amendment provides $500,000 in the second year to the Department of Housing and Community Development for the Commission on Local Government to evaluate more effective ways of accurately determining the potential local fiscal impacts of legislation and proposed budgetary actions.)