Bill to pilot legislative accountability work at JFO advances; committee probes scope and coordination

Supporters of House Bill 67 told the Appropriations Committee that the bill would create a limited pilot to test a legislative approach to government accountability and to give the Joint Fiscal Office resources to study a single pilot project and produce an evaluative framework for future legislation.

Tim Delin of Legislative Council summarized the strike‑all amendment and pointed out the appropriation language that would authorize $150,000 from the general fund in fiscal 2027 for pilot personnel in the Joint Fiscal Office. Rep. Shwaters Evans, the bill reporter and sponsor in House Government Operations and Affairs, said the sponsors deliberately assigned the work to the Joint Fiscal Committee rather than creating a standalone panel so the Legislature can "check in on itself" and build usable performance measures into future bills.

Sponsor testimony stressed that the pilot is intended to be narrowly scoped, consultative and not political. "This is not ... a witch hunt," a sponsor said, adding that the work should start small, pick a manageable project and create clear metrics so the Legislature can incorporate accountability measures into the lawmaking process.

Catherine, identified as chief fiscal officer at the Joint Fiscal Office, described a prior model in which a two‑year IT consultant pilot produced a simple, repeatable review framework and recommended the same approach: try a manageable project for a limited period and develop a one‑page assessment template to guide future work.

Members asked whether the pilot would duplicate existing work by the state auditor or the chief performance officer. Sponsors and JFO staff said the bill requires consultation with those offices and with legislative committees of jurisdiction to avoid duplication and to draw on existing data and expertise.

Committee members also clarified budget mechanics: the $150,000 in the bill is presented as a one‑year (fiscal 2027) appropriation rather than two full years of funding. The sponsor noted the bill left its originating committee unanimously and said Appropriations will consider the fiscal note before a final vote.

The committee did not vote on HB 67 at the hearing; members signaled support for the concept but asked for additional work to ensure the pilot’s scope, selection process and outputs are clear before funding is finalized.