ORS 171.557 State budget policy

The Legislative Assembly finds that there is a need for a comprehensive, specific budget format available to all members of the Legislative Assembly so that:

Effective policy decisions can be made;

Line items in agency budgets can be identified by program function;

Decisions to increase or decrease agency budgets can be made with knowledge as to policy and programmatic impact; and

A more objective comparison can be made to the Governor’s budget.

The Legislative Assembly also finds that the goal of the legislative budgeting process is to afford members a thorough understanding of:

The policies of state government regarding the definition and delivery of state services;

What program functions are necessary to state operations and the cost of these functions; and

The means whereby these policies and programs are administered.

The goal of the Legislative Assembly is to decide, as a body, which policies and programs are necessary to discharge its public responsibilities. Consequently, the Legislative Assembly finds that there is a need to examine the legislative budgeting process so that:

Policy decisions are made by the Legislative Assembly as a whole;

Program functions are more closely identified with line items in agency budgets;

Funding options and priorities are defined in terms of policies; and

Legislative budgeting identifies programs which are necessary in terms of policies and state responsibilities, as opposed to the need to maintain existing program activities.