H 67 — An act relating to legislative operations and government accountability

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 5 of 14 (i) affects the State as a whole;

(ii) affects a vulnerable population;

(iii) costs the State more than $100,000,000.00;

(iv) implicates a serious failure of State government oversight or accountability;

(v) arises from previously enacted legislation;

or (vi) constitutes a failure to adequately respond to State or federal audits.

(2) The Committee shall, with coordination from the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, evaluate executive entities directed to adopt rules to ensure consistency and accountability in the rulemaking process.

(3) The Committee shall, on an annual basis, issue a report that includes:

(A) which issues of significant public concern the Committee has examined and investigated, including relevant information and data;

(B) the Committee’s current objectives for review of issues of significant public concern and which objectives, to date, have and have not been met;

(C) the Committee’s objectives for review of issues of significant public concern for the upcoming two years;

and BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 6 of 14 (D) any additional resources required by the Committee to adequately conduct its work.

(b) Powers.

The Committee shall have powers as described in this section and elsewhere in law.

The Committee may take or cause depositions to be taken as needed in any investigation or hearing.

Sec.

3.

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE JOINT GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE The Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee shall include in its first annual report required by 2 V.S.A.

§ 972(a)(3) an analysis of whether the General Assembly should empower the Committee to issue subpoenas and administer oaths in connection with its examination and investigation of matters of government oversight and accountability related to issues of significant public concern.

The Committee shall also include in its report a recommendation for whether the General Assembly should add a staff member dedicated to supporting the Committee in its work.

* * * Chief Performance Officer Annual Report * * * Sec.

4.

3 V.S.A.

§ 2311 is amended to read:

§ 2311.

CHIEF PERFORMANCE OFFICER;

ANNUAL STATE OUTCOMES REPORT * * * (c) Approving population-level indicators.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 7 of 14 (1) Annually, on or before March 1, a standing committee of the General Assembly having jurisdiction over a population-level quality of life outcome set forth in subsection (b) of this section or the Chief Performance Officer may submit to the Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee a request that any population-level indicator related to that outcome be revised.

(2) If that request is approved by the Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee, the Chief Performance Officer shall revise and report on the population-level indicator in accordance with that approval and this section.

(d) The report set forth in this section shall not be subject to the limitation on the duration of agency reports set forth in 2 V.S.A.

§ 20(d).

* * * Auditor of Accounts Duties * * * Sec.

5.

32 V.S.A.

§ 163 is amended to read:

§ 163.

DUTIES OF THE AUDITOR OF ACCOUNTS In addition to any other duties prescribed by law, the Auditor of Accounts shall:

* * * (6)(A) Provide the Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee with a written summary of all audits completed by the Office of the Auditor of Accounts.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 8 of 14 (B) Upon the request of the Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee, provide, at the mutual convenience of the Committee and Auditor, a presentation to the Committee of any completed audit.

* * * Sec.

6.

ANNUAL AUDIT OF AGENCY PROGRAMS;

PILOT On or before November 15, in the years 2026, 2028, and 2030, the Auditor of Accounts shall submit a written report to the Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee concerning the periodic audit of administrative programs operated by State agencies.

The Auditor of Accounts shall select not more than five programs to study during a given two-year reporting period and shall examine the efficiency and outcomes of the selected programs, including an analysis of the performance measures for each program and whether the outcomes align with program objectives and goals.

* * * Periodic Reports * * * Sec.

7.

2 V.S.A.

§ 20 is amended to read:

§ 20.

LIMITATION ON DISTRIBUTION AND DURATION OF AGENCY REPORTS (a) Unless otherwise provided by law, whenever it is required by statute, rule, or otherwise that an agency, department, or other entity submit an annual, biennial, or other periodic report to the General Assembly, that requirement BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 9 of 14 shall be met by submission by January November 15 of copies of the report for activities in the preceding fiscal year to the Clerk of the House, the Secretary of the Senate, the Office of Legislative Counsel Operations, chairs of legislative standing committees of jurisdiction, and such individual members of the General Assembly or committees that specifically request a copy of the report.

To the extent practicable, reports Reports shall also be placed published on the agency’s Internet website.

No general distribution or mailing of such reports shall be made to members of the General Assembly.

* * * (e) If it becomes apparent to any agency, department, or other entity directed by the General Assembly to report on a matter that the agency, department, or entity will be unable to do so within the required time, the reporting agency, department, or entity shall inform, if applicable, the relevant legislative committee’s current chair, the committee assistant, and the Office of Legislative Operations of which report will be late, why, and when it will be delivered.

* * * Effective Date * * * Sec.

8.

EFFECTIVE DATE This act shall take effect on passage.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 10 of 14 * * * Purpose and Findings * * * Sec.

1.

This act seeks to support consistent and transparent accountability practices through simple, clear, independent, objective, and fact-fact-based based processes.

The Chief Fiscal Officer of the Joint Fiscal Office, in consultation with the Speaker of the HouseHouse, and the President Pro Tempore, willand selectthe issuesleaders forof the Committee’smajor VTpolitical LEGparties #388395in v.1both ASthe PASSEDHouse BYand HOUSEthe H.67Senate, Pagewill 2select ofissues 4for the Committee’s consideration and refer these to the Joint Fiscal Committee on or before August 1, 2026.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 11 of 14 (c) Charge.

The Committee shall provide information and recommendations that assist the VT LEG #388395 v.1 AS PASSED BY HOUSE H.67 Page 3 of 4 General Assembly in aligning appropriations, statutory intent, and measurable results.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 12 of 14 (6) Monitoring of follow-up actions.

The Committee may consider the development or use of appropriate tools and methods to assess program outcomes and performance, including measures that support consistent VT LEG #388395 v.1 AS PASSED BY HOUSE H.67 Page 4 of 4 evaluation, transparency, and informed legislative and administrative decision making.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 13 of 14 (d) Report.

JOINT FISCAL OFFICE CONSULTANT;

APPROPRIATION (a) Committee personnel.

The Joint Fiscal Office may, to conduct research and analysis and to provide other support as necessary for the Pilot Government Accountability Project, either:

(1) contract with a consultant for a two-year term;

or (2) create a new exempt temporary service position for a two-year term.

(b) Appropriation.

There is appropriated to the Joint Fiscal Office from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027 the sum of $150,000.00 for Pilot Government Accountability Project personnel.

Sec.

3.

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.67 Page 14 of 14 (b) Appropriation.

There is appropriated to the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027 the sum of $300,000.00, to be used for Pilot Government Accountability Project personnel over a two-yeartwo- year period.

VT LEG #388395 v.1