2016 -- S 2441

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LC004756

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE --STATE BUDGET

     Introduced By: Senators E O`Neill, Raptakis, Walaska, Sheehan, and Gee

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 35-3-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 35-3 entitled "State Budget"

is hereby amended to read as follows:

     35-3-7. Submission of budget to general assembly -- Contents. -- (a) On or before the

third Thursday in January in each year of each January session of the general assembly, the

governor shall submit to the general assembly a budget containing a complete plan of estimated

revenues and proposed expenditures, with a personnel supplement detailing the number and titles

of positions of each agency and the estimates of personnel costs for the next fiscal year, and with

the inventory required by § 35-1.1-3(b)(4). Provided, however, in those years that a new governor

is inaugurated, the new governor shall submit the budget on or before the first Thursday in

February. Beginning with the fiscal year 2018, the budget submitted by the governor shall be a

"zero-based budget" based upon a justification of each department's estimate of expenditures and

requests for appropriations from a zero base as if the budget for each department was being

initiated for the first time, and in order to provide a systematic basis for resource allocation based

upon priority of need. In the budget the governor may set forth in summary and detail:

      (1) Estimates of the receipts of the state during the ensuing fiscal year under laws

existing at the time the budget is transmitted and also under the revenue proposals, if any,

contained in the budget, and comparisons with the estimated receipts of the state during the

current fiscal year, as well as actual receipts of the state for the last two (2) completed fiscal

years.

      (2) Estimates of the expenditures and appropriations necessary in the governor's

judgment for the support of the state government for the ensuing fiscal year, and comparisons

with appropriations for expenditures during the current fiscal year, as well as actual expenditures

of the state for the last two (2) complete fiscal years.

      (3) Financial statements of the:

      (i) Condition of the treasury at the end of the last completed fiscal year;

      (ii) The estimated condition of the treasury at the end of the current fiscal year; and

      (iii) Estimated condition of the treasury at the end of the ensuing fiscal year if the

financial proposals contained in the budget are adopted.

      (4) All essential facts regarding the bonded and other indebtedness of the state.

      (5) A report indicating those program revenues and expenditures whose funding source

is proposed to be changed from state appropriations to restricted receipts, or from restricted

receipts to other funding sources.

      (6) Such other financial statements and data as in the governor's opinion are necessary or

desirable.

      (b) Any other provision of the general laws to the contrary notwithstanding, the proposed

appropriations submitted by the governor to the general assembly for the next ensuing fiscal year

should not be more than five and one-half percent (5.5%) in excess of total state appropriations,

excluding any estimated supplemental appropriations, enacted by the general assembly for the

fiscal year previous to that for which the proposed appropriations are being submitted; provided

that the increased state-share provisions required to achieve fifty percent (50%) state financing of

local school operations as provided for in P.L. 1985, ch. 182, shall be excluded from the

definition of total appropriations.

      (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, not later than the fourth (4th)

Thursday in January 2005.

      (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a supplemental budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, and/or a budget

for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, not later than Thursday, January 26, 2006.

      (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a supplemental budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, and/or a budget

for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, not later than Wednesday, January 31, 2007.

      (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, not later than Thursday,

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March 10, 2011.

      (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, not later than Tuesday,

January 31, 2012.

      (h) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 35-3-7(a), the governor shall submit to the

general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, not later than Thursday,

March 12, 2015.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE --STATE BUDGET

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     This act would require the governor to submit a zero-based budget.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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