HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 69
(By Delegates Harrison, Louisos,
Webb, Armstead and Frederick)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to
conduct an interim committee study relating to forming a
broad-based select committee to investigate and report to
the Legislature ways and means to reduce paperwork in our
state government.
Whereas, Many agencies of this State issue forms to
businesses and private citizens requiring that they be completed
and returned, resulting in a flood of information to be reported
to the State, both the needed and the unneeded; and
Whereas, The cost to businesses, individuals and the State in
providing and dealing with the reports is incalculably high and,
if any forms and reports could be found unneeded, or if any part
of the forms and reports could be found unneeded, or if any part
of the information sought could be found unneeded or if it could
be found that a part of the reports could be made less
frequently, a great savings in time, money and aggravation could
be had; and
Whereas, The Legislature should study, during the interim of
the Legislature, the full extent to which an in-depth study of the problem might demonstrate other ways in which the reduction
of government paperwork could serve the State; and
Whereas, The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Delegates, by virtue of their position as cochairs of
the Joint Committee on Government and Finance, should appoint the
necessary members of the Legislature as members of the interim
committee, along with representatives of the business community,
the professions, citizens groups, and such others as to them
might seem likely to offer good advice; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to review, examine and study, during the interim of the
Legislature, the ways and means to reduce paperwork in the
prosecution of the States' business; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance make a report of its findings, conclusions and
recommendations, together with a draft of any legislation
necessary to effectuate its recommendations to the Legislature at
the beginning of the 2000 Regular Session; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct
this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary
legislation be paid from the legislative appropriations to the
Joint Committee on Government and Finance.