BILL NUMBER: S9167
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to section 1 of article 5 of the constitution, in relation to requiring
the comptroller review and approve certain contracts
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would amend the state's Constitution to require the Comp-
troller's review and approval of all state contracts, subject to any
minimum contract value set by the Legislature.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends section 1 of article 5 of the state's Constitution,
adding explicit authority for the Comptroller to review and approve
contracts made for or by any state agency, department, board, officer,
commission, or institution prior to being executed.
Section 2: Articulates the process by which this amendment would be
taken up by the Legislature.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Each year, attempts are made to skirt the Comptroller's oversight of
state contracts by enacting provisions in the state budget which
"notwithstand" certain sections of state finance law. In effect,
billions in taxpayer dollars are appropriated through the state budget
process without review or approval by our state's fiscal watchdog.
By amending the state's Constitution to expressly require this review
and approval authority, the Office of the State Comptroller will
perform, by right, its necessary and vital oversight duties. This amend-
ment also preserves minimal flexibility for the Legislature and Execu-
tive to retain a minimum contract value threshold in statute, as exists
currently, to advance lower-value state contracts without Comptroller
review in the interest of operational efficiency; this amendment further
preserves the Executive's ability to circumvent this authority in times
of emergency.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date as a "CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to article 5 of the
constitution, in relation to requiring the Comptroller review and
approve certain contracts" takes effect, in accordance with section 1 of
article 19 of the constitution.