Alberta Darling Proposes Common Sense, Too!

Here's something that simply makes sense.

The bill states that any bill placing a statutory requirement on a local governmental unit must be referred at once to the committee and the bill may not be considered further until the committee submits a report or 30 days have lapsed.

If the committee’s report concludes that the bill has a negative uncompensated fiscal effect on local governmental units, and the mandate is a wholly state−imposed mandate upon local governmental units, this bill states that the committee must offer an amendment to the bill appropriating funds to offset the cost of the mandate. The bill defines “mandate” to exclude certain provisions and those that have minimalfiscal effect.

Additionally, the bill states that the legislature may not enact a bill that imposes future state−imposed mandates unless they receive a hearing before the committee or are funded. If an enacted mandate is not funded, either upon passage or in the future, the mandate may not be enforced until it is funded. The bill also states that a state agency may not promulgate a rule or take an action that imposes a mandate and that a state agency shall not take an action required by law if the action would impose a mandate, unless there is a sufficient amount to fund the mandate. Under this bill, affected local governments are reimbursed annually for the approximate costs attributable to state−imposed mandates.

Maybe it's too much to ask that the Bill should be retroactive?

There are plenty of complaints from locals that "the State made us do this...but doesn't provide the money." OK. Now the League of Municipalities has something to endorse.

Put up or shut up, Local Boyzzz!

HT: The Croc