Texas Budget Transparency Presentation to the Senate Finance Committee URSULA PARKS, ACTING DIRECTOR LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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1 Texas Budget Transparency Presentation to the Senate Finance Committee URSULA PARKS, ACTING DIRECTOR LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

2 Committee Charge #3 Review the budget process to develop strategies for greater legislative efficiency and transparency, including diversions of dedicated funding streams to alternative uses. Include options for more userfriendly budget documents, additional notice of posting of new information, and enhanced access to research and background information. 1 Legislative Budget Board

3 Transparency: Where We ve Been 1991: What are we getting for our money? Texas' statewide strategic planning, performance budgeting, and performance monitoring (SPPB) system replaced a system of zero-based budgeting. During the past 20 years, the Texas SPPB system has been a gold-standard for many of the 38 other states that now have performance budgeting-specific laws. Foreign governments have also adopted elements of our SPPB system. Bi-partisan federal legislation was enacted in 2010 which replicates at the federal level what we have been doing at the state level with respect to performance budgeting and budget transparency since the biennium. 2 Legislative Budget Board

4 Transparency: Where We Are Robust Information: Texas is consistently highly ranked with respect to budget transparency and availability of information. In 2012: The U.S. Public Interest Research Group reviewed how the 50 states rate in providing online access to government spending data. Texas received an A grade, an overall #1 ranking, with a score of 98. Seven other states received an A. SunshineReview.com reviewed state government transparency initiatives, and gave Texas an A grade, along with 13 other states. Texas was noted in a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities as a model state for the breadth of information available in our fiscal notes, as well as for the extent to which we make fiscal notes publicly available and accessible. 3 Legislative Budget Board

5 Transparency: Where We Are continued Two broad categories of LBB publications: Pre-and Post-session and/or informational documents, reporting action or making recommendations; and Session documents reflecting decision points Pre- and post-session documents tend to be expository, providing history, context and program detail intended for a wide audience. Session documents are intended as decision tools. The emphasis is on ensuring that the documents focus on the decision point and then document those decisions. 4 Legislative Budget Board

6 Transparency: Where We Are continued Government Code, Sec BUDGET DOCUMENTS ONLINE. (a) The board shall post on the board's Internet website documents prepared by the board that are provided to a committee, subcommittee, or conference committee of either house of the legislature in connection with an appropriations bill. (b) The board shall post a document to which this section applies as soon as practicable after the document is provided to a committee, subcommittee, or conference committee. (c) The document must be downloadable and provide data in a format that allows the public to search, extract, organize, and analyze the information in the document. 5 Legislative Budget Board

7 Transparency: Where We Are Going Program-level Detail: Senate Bill 1, Eighty-second Legislature, First Called Session, 2011, Section It is the intent of the legislature that the Legislative Budget Board place information on its Internet website that provides additional program detail for items of appropriation in the General Appropriations Act. The Legislative Budget Board shall include as additional program detail the specific programs funded, the source of that funding, and the related statutory authorization. Issue Briefs: Short, accessible summaries of key budget issues. User-friendly web presence: Allows agencies, members, and the public to reach the information that is of use to each of them. Accessibility: Increase access to LBB staff and information. 6 Legislative Budget Board

8 Transparency: Where We Are Going continued LBB staff are engaged in the Appropriations by Program project, in response to legislative directive. Bridges the two broad categories of LBB documents. Data will provide program-level detail for both the base and the Appropriations Bill as Introduced amounts. We intend to make this information increasingly refined, and the ability for individuals to work with it increasingly robust. Program definitions are LBB-staff driven, based on our independent analysis and expertise. 7 Legislative Budget Board

9 Transparency: Where We Are Going Issue Briefs continued A new LBB publication, these provide 2-page guides on key budget and policy information on issues that the 83rd Legislature will face. Accessible format: publication will be web-based, allowing the user to select items of interest. By January 2013 we expect to have nearly 100 Issue Briefs prepared for legislators, in addition to our GEER report. 8 Legislative Budget Board

10 Transparency: Where We Are Going LBB Web Site continued The legislative session moves quickly; making robust use of the web to share information makes sense, while also being mindful of accessibility limitations. While we are moving to a more web-based system, certain key publications, such as the Fiscal Size-Up, will remain available in hard-copy. The LBB s website is experiencing a complete overhaul, including clear delineation of the portals for members and the public vs. state agencies, creating a clean, user-friendly interface, and ready access of key publications. Users will be able to receive notice of any new information posted to our website, including items as described by Government Code, Section New site will be live by November 1, Legislative Budget Board

11 Transparency: Where We Are Going Staff Liaison Program continued Intended to provide members of the legislature with a clear line of communication with the LBB: Not intended to replace any existing relationship, or interfere with other means of communication Will increase out ability to broadly share information on LBB processes and timeframes Each committee chair and each new member of the legislature has a LBB staff member assigned as their liaison. To-date, we have completed 17 meetings with committee chairs, with another 12 meetings pending. We will meet with new members starting this November. Any member of the legislature is welcome to request a liaison and the associated briefing on LBB services. 10 Legislative Budget Board

12 Referenced Web Sites Nationally-recognized model state government information portals: State Government Expenditures ( Texas.gov: The Official Website of Texas ( Texas Legislature Online ( 11 Legislative Budget Board