LFO Analyst: Stinson

The Legislative Branch includes its members and staff as well as four statutory committees or offices: 1) the Legislative Administration Committee; 2) the office of Legislative Counsel; 3) the Legislative Fiscal Office; and 4) the Legislative Revenue Office. In addition, the Commission on Indian Services is budgeted in the Legislative Branch.

The Legislative Assembly budget includes salaries and per diem for legislative members and their staff; the Leadership and Caucus Offices; the House Clerk, Senate Secretary, session staff; and Senate Executive Appointments.

The Limited Other Funds come from reimbursements for duplicating services and sales of committee tapes. The Nonlimited Lounge Revolving Fund receives payments from members for food service costs and the Fund is used to pay for food in the members' lounges.

The length of the legislative session directly influences 25% of the Assembly budget. The largest portion of the Assembly budget pays for: members and their staff salaries and expenses ($13.5 million), Chief Clerk of the House, Secretary of the Senate, and other session staff costs ($3.7 million); and the Leadership and Caucus Offices ($3.6 million).

The Governor's Budget continued current programs with the 2001 session being budgeted for 170 days--the same as the 1997 and 1999 sessions. The actual lengths of the four most recent legislative sessions are 207 days in 1993, 154 days in 1995, 174 days in 1997, and 195 days in 1999. The extraordinary cost of each session day is estimated to be approximately $28,000 for the 70^th (1999) Legislative Assembly.

The twelve positions added to Leadership and Caucus Offices for the 1999 Legislative Assembly by action of the Emergency Board at its November 1998 meeting were not included in the initial 1999-01 budget request.

The adopted budget reflects changes in state government service charges and the following additions: funding for the twelve positions added to Leadership and Caucus Offices - $1,401,720; member salary increases due to the statewide February 1999 cost of living adjustment (COLA) - $68,816; provision for Council of State Government dues - $172,123; interim member staff increases - $833,381; session member staff increases - $102,239; compensation and technology for the Chief Clerk of the House - $296,336; compensation and technology for the Secretary of the Senate - $134,048; and establishment of an Office of the Natural Resources Policy Administrator - $344,000. In addition, $580,000 was reserved within the Emergency Fund to further increase member interim staff salaries.

The Legislative Administration Committee provides central services to the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Branch including: 1) substantive committee staffing; 2) data processing and computer services; 3) building operations and maintenance; 4) accounting, payroll and personnel functions; and 5) public information.

The Other Funds revenue are derived from Capitol Building office and parking space rent; and sales of services and supplies. A nonlimited Stores Revolving Account is used for the Gift Shop.

Capitol Building operation and maintenance account for 35 percent of the budget request; information and media systems represent 36 percent; Policy, Research, and Committee Services comprise 18 percent; and administration explains 11 percent. The length of session and number of bill introductions, amendments, and committees create the workload for the agency during session.

As discussed above, the Governor's recommended budget did not cover the entire Legislative Administration Committee request. The non-specified reduction of $5,064,822 would allow only $289,080 to be applied toward requested policy option packages totaling $5.4 million.

The adopted budget reflects changes in state government service charges and the following General Fund additions:

• Transfer of Judiciary Committee staff from Legislative Counsel - $547,673
• Staff and technology to support 2001 redistricting - $361,793
• Year 200 software upgrades - $591,625
• Staff to support member personal computers - $155,601
• Continuation of the technology transition project - $1,739,150
• Information Systems staffing improvements - $505,228
• Personal computer upgrades - $170,475
• Mainframe/network improvements - $316,500
• Building elevator upgrades - $364,500
• Building electrical system improvements - $465,000
• Building duct cleaning - $150,000
• Building exterior caulking - $244,950

Legislative Counsel staff draft legislation, provide legal assistance to members and staff, review administrative rules and publish Advance Sheets, Oregon Laws, the Criminal Code and the Oregon Revised Statutes.

The Other Funds (OF) are derived from sales of the statutes, Advance Sheets, session laws and the Criminal Code. A small portion of the publication sales income is expended as limited Other Funds and used to defray that part of the agency's General Program expenses that are related to ORS publication editing. The balance of the publication sales income is expended as nonlimited within the ORS Publications Program.

Publication sales have declined in recent biennia, in part, due to their availability on CD-ROM format. The publications are also now available on the Internet. As a result, Other Funds revenue may decline. This may necessitate a larger General Fund (GF) budget to provide for ORS publication.

The number of bills and amendments being drafted continues to increase each session. The number of final drafts increased by 32% between the 1987 and 1997 sessions. This increase in workload creates additional pressure on Counsel staff that ripples throughout the institution as these bills are introduced.

The Governor's budget provided for: 1) the continuing costs of reclassifications and added staff months approved by the Emergency Board during the 1997-99 interim ($595,498 GF); 2) the additional reclassification of 27 positions ($228,181 GF); 3) a new Computer Services Support position ($85,418 GF); 4) increased employee training and recruitment ($61,746 GF); 5) computer technology acquisition, maintenance, and training ($230,502 GF); and 6) fund shifts to reflect actual position utilization.

The adopted budget reflected changes in state government service charges, and the following:

• Transferred Judiciary Committee staff to the Legislative Administration Committee (-$547,673 GF)
• Transferred personnel functions to the Legislative Administration Committee (-$46,947 OF nonlimited)
• Approved a staff reclassification package but reduced the amount by $95,978, reflecting elimination of a vacant position
• Approved computer technology but reduced the amount by $51,800 General Fund and $22,199 Other Funds
• Approved a supplemental request to enhance production by making six copy editor positions full-time ($81,562 GF and $128,127 OF nonlimited)

The Legislative Fiscal Office provides staff assistance to the following statutory committees: the Joint Ways and Means Committee and its six subcommittees, the Emergency Board, Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology. The Office also provides staff assistance to special committees during the interim such as the Senate Interim Budget Committee and House Budget Work Group.

As with other committee staffs, the number of bill introductions and amendments create the workload for the agency during session. The continuous increase in bills and amendments requires the staff to write more fiscal impact statements. The number of Emergency Board requests and Interim Budget Committee and other special committee meetings as well as the number of performance audits or program evaluations required by the Audit Committee determine the interim workload.

The Governor's budget continued the current program which included the full biennial costs of three positions added by the 1997 Legislative Assembly and phased-in during 1997-99.

The adopted budget reflects changes in state government service charges and ratification of three interim position modifications. The position modifications included the allocation of the Legislative Fiscal Officer to range 40X, the reclassification of a Principal Legislative Analyst position to Deputy Legislative Fiscal Officer, and the reclassification of the Executive Assistant position to Fiscal Administrative Supervisor.

The Legislative Revenue Office provides staff assistance to the House and Senate Revenue Committees during session and the interim.

As with other committee staffs, the number of bill introductions and amendments create the workload for the agency during session. The continuous increase in bills and amendments requires the staff to write more revenue impact statements. The number of Revenue and School Finance Committee meetings determines the interim workload.

The adopted budget reflects changes in state government service charges and the following:

• Reclassification of four Economist positions from range 33 to 33X at a cost of $15,600
• Increased Employee Training by $5,510
• Special purpose appropriation of $300,000 to the Emergency Board for a LRO tax incidence

The Commission on Indian Services compiles information on services available to Indians, assesses state programs and services, serves as a forum for considering Indian problems, and advises on matters relating to the preservation and protection of Indian historic and archaeological resources.

The Other Funds revenue represents registration and other fees derived from sponsorship of special meetings.

Historically, the Indian Nations have felt very strongly that they should be part of the Legislative Branch. Staff salaries and Commission member travel are the primary costs in this budget.

The Governor's budget continued the current program.

There were no changes made in the legislatively adopted budget. Commission on Indian Services State Government Service Charges are paid through the Legislative Administration Committee budget and changes in those costs are reflected in that budget.