Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 437

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

PROVIDING FOR A STUDY OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

WHEREAS, the services of the State Government have been expanded greatly in past years; and

WHEREAS, in establishing new services from time to time and in providing for the expansion of established services, the simplicity of the organization structure of the State Government as a whole has been sacrificed; and

WHEREAS, the executive branch is now exceedingly complex, unwieldly, and unmanageable to such an extent that there can be no effective coordination to prevent overlapping of activities and duplication of effort among State agencies and to insure maximum efficiency and economy in the expenditure of State funds; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to continue to promote the growth and development of agriculture, industry, business, and commerce and the social and economic welfare of the people and to provide such increased State services as may be essential to this end; and

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the State to provide essential services in the most efficient manner at the lowest possible cost through effective organization of the executive branch and thereby to hold to the essential minimum the burden of taxation upon the people; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein, as follows:

Section 1. That a commission to be known as the Commission on Reorganization of State Government be and is hereby created, to be composed of the Governor and of such number of outstanding citizens as the Governor may associate with himself

thereon and as he may deem necessary to afford adequate representation of the two major political parties and of geographical areas, commerce and industry, agriculture, labor, the professions, and the general public.

Section 2. That the Governor shall appoint from among the members of the Commission a chairman who shall designate four (4) members of the Commission to serve with him as the executive committee of the Commission, and that the executive committee may appoint a secretary who may be a state officer and ex-officio secretary.

Section 3. That the executive committee shall make thorough studies of the organization of the executive branch of the State Government, its departments, divisions, institutions, boards, commissions, and other agencies, giving particular attention to possible changes intended to simplify and make more efficient the administration and operation of the executive branch of the State Government.

Section 4. That in its study, the executive committee may call upon any officer or agency of the State for such information and assistance as it may deem necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of its work.

Section 5. That the executive committee, with the concurrence of the Governor, may engage the services of consultants in public administration and finance who have no affiliations that would be likely to interfere with the formulation and expression of impartial, unbiased, professional opinions, findings, and recommendations, who are qualified by actual experience in studies of the administrative organizations of State Governments, and may engage such technical, stenographic, and other assistance as may be required by the executive committee or the Commission for the efficient conduct of studies and the preparation of reports hereunder.

Section 6. That the executive committee shall prepare interim reports of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, covering all the departments, divisions, institutions, boards, commissions, and other agencies of the executive branch of the

State Government, and a summary report of findings and recommendations, and shall submit such reports to the full Commission for study by the Commission. In its study the Commission may call upon any officer or agency of the State Government, and upon the consultants retained by the executive committee as hereinbefore provided, for such information and advice and assistance as it may deem necessary.

Section 7. That the Commission shall make a report of its findings, and of its recommendations for such consolidations and reorganization as it considers necessary, to the General Assembly not later than the first day of the 1951 Session.

Section 8. That the members of the Commission and the secretary of the Commission shall serve without compensation but the members of the Commission shall be paid their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.

Section 9. That, the sum of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) be and the same is hereby appropriated to the Commission herein provided out of the funds of the State Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to be paid by the State Treasurer upon vouchers approved by the chairman and secretary of the Commission for the purpose of enabling the said Commission to undertake the duties set forth above.

Section 10. That this resolution shall be considered in the nature of a Supplementary Appropriation Bill and that the funds hereby appropriated be paid by the State Treasurer out of the General Fund of the State.

Approved June 30, 1949