State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title4 > Chap050 > Sec4-67r

      Sec. 4-67r. Connecticut Progress Council. Development of long-range vision. Benchmarks. Report on use of benchmarks in budgeting. (a) There is created a Connecticut Progress Council. The council shall consist of the following members: The Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the Commissioners of Social Services, Transportation, Education and Economic and Community Development; the president pro tempore of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate and the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or their designees; the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development; a representative of a nonprofit municipal research organization, a representative of a state-sponsored economic advisory body, a representative of a major labor organization, a representative of a manufacturing concern, a representative of a service-related business and a representative of a financial service company, one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one by the majority leader of the Senate, one by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one by the minority leader of the Senate and one by the minority leader of the House of Representatives and six members appointed by the Governor, one representing medical services, one a major public or private university, one a major nonprofit organization, one a state employees' bargaining unit, one an environmental organization and one a business research organization. The first meeting of the council shall be called on or before November 1, 1993, by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. The council shall elect a chairman from its members at the first meeting.

      (b) The council shall develop a long-range vision for the state and define benchmarks to measure progress to achieve the vision. The vision shall address areas of state concern, including, but not limited to, the areas of economic development, human resources and services, education, health, criminal justice, energy resources, transportation, housing, environmental quality, water supply, food production and natural and cultural resources. In developing the vision the council shall conduct public hearings, public meetings and workshops to insure the participation of a broad cross-section of the state's population. A public hearing shall be held on the vision and proposed benchmarks. The council may establish advisory committees to assist it in accomplishing its duties under this section. Membership on any advisory committee may include persons who are not members of the council.

      (c) Upon request of the council, a state department or nonpartisan legislative office shall provide the necessary personnel and resources to assist the council in performing its tasks in accordance with this section.

      (d) On or before February 1, 1994, the council shall submit a report to the General Assembly which describes its activities and makes recommendations concerning the vision and benchmarks.

      (e) On or before July 1, 1994, and biennially thereafter, the council shall submit the benchmarks to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the General Assembly for use in developing and reviewing the budget.

      (f) On or before February 1, 1996, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development and the appropriations and budgets of state agencies and to the council which recommends a plan for the use of benchmarks in developing the budget for the biennium beginning July 1, 1997, and for each biennium thereafter.

      (P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-387, S. 1, 3; 93-435, S. 59, 95; P.A. 95-232, S. 1, 2; 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5.)

      History: P.A. 93-387 effective June 30, 1993; (Revisor's note: P.A. 93-262 and P.A. 93-435 authorized substitution of "commissioner of social services" for "commissioner of income maintenance" in public and special acts of the 1993 regular and special sessions, effective July 1, 1993); P.A. 95-232 added Subsec. (f) requiring Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to submit a report to the appropriations committee recommending a plan for the use of benchmarks in developing the budget, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.