House panel launches year-round legislative oversight effort

Speaker of the House Lucas told members at the inaugural meeting of the new House Legislative Oversight Committee that the panel's role is to scrutinize whether agencies carry out laws and programs in keeping with the General Assembly's intent and to consider whether programs should continue, be curtailed or be eliminated.

"This committee has an important task ahead of it beginning in the new year," Speaker Lucas said, adding that he envisions "this will be a committee that will meet all through the year." He told members the committee's first review schedule will be published in the House Journal on Jan. 13.

Why it matters: The committee is charged by recent legislation with periodic, continuing oversight of state agencies on a seven-year cycle. That schedule and any subcommittee structure will determine which agencies are reviewed first and how the Legislature coordinates with the Senate's oversight office.

Committee members said the panel will need to adopt rules and a preliminary agency review schedule before the start of the legislative session. The chair asked members to return contact sheets and to be prepared for a meeting the first week of January to adopt a preliminary schedule and committee rules.