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Senate committee tables bill that would require LFC to target underperforming agencies for funding cuts
Summary
SB496 would have directed the Legislative Finance Committee to identify underperforming agencies and consider budget reductions; members debated whether the committee already had that authority and how performance measures are set. The committee voted to table the bill.
Sponsor presented SB496 as a measure to increase government accountability by directing the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) to identify underperforming agencies and consider budget reductions for failing performance measures.
Adrian Avila, chief of staff of Senate Finance (present for technical questions), told the committee LFC already grades agency measures (green/yellow/red) but currently does not have a formal next step to reduce funding for persistently underperforming measures; the bill would ask LFC to consider budget reductions tied to performance metrics. Supporters said the bill would give "teeth" to performance reporting; opponents warned that performance measures can be subjective and that some red ratings reflect agency workload changes or prior budget reductions rather than poor management.
Multiple senators raised procedural and substantive concerns about how metrics are created and whether automatic budget reductions are an appropriate tool. Senator Townsend and others argued the proposal gives the legislature a stronger management tool; opponents said the change risks privileging the metrics over substantive program considerations.
A nondebatable motion to table the bill was offered and the committee voted to table SB496. The transcript roll call recorded five votes in favor of tabling the bill.
