A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN STATE GOVERNMENT BY ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM EVALUATION DIVISION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 120‑32(1) reads as rewritten:
"The Legislative Services Commission is hereby authorized to:
(1)	Determine the number, titles, classification, functions, compensation, and other conditions of employment of the joint legislative service employees of the General Assembly, including but not limited to the following departments:
a.	Legislative Services Officer and personnel,
b.	Electronic document writing system,
c.	Proofreaders,
d.	Legislative printing,
e.	Enrolling clerk and personnel,
f.	Library,
g.	Research and bill drafting,
h.	Printed bills,
i.	Disbursing and supply,
j.	Program evaluation.
Temporary employees of the General Assembly are exempt from the provisions of G.S. 135‑3(8)c., as to compensation earned in that status.
…."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 120‑32.01 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120‑32.01.  Information to be supplied.
(a)	Every State department, State agency, or State institution shall furnish the Legislative Services Office and the Research, Fiscal Research, Program Evaluation, and Bill Drafting Divisions any information or records requested by them and access to any facilities and personnel requested by them. Except when accessibility is prohibited by a federal statute, federal regulation, or State statute, every State department, State agency, or State institution shall give the Legislative Services Office and these divisions access to any data base or stored information maintained by computer, telecommunications, or other electronic data processing equipment, whether stored on tape, disk, or otherwise, and regardless of the medium for storage or transmission.
(b)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, access to the State Personnel Management Information System by the Research and Bill Drafting Divisions shall only be through the Fiscal Research or Program Evaluation Division."
SECTION 3. Chapter 120 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new article to read:
"Article 7C.
"Program Evaluation Division.
"§ 120‑36.11.  Duties of Program Evaluation Division.
The Program Evaluation Division of the Legislative Services Commission has the following powers and duties:
(1)	To examine a program or an activity of a State agency and evaluate the merits of the program or activity and the agency's effectiveness in conducting the program or activity.
(2)	To develop quantitative indicators for measuring the number of activities performed and services provided by a State agency and the extent to which the activities and services are achieving results.
(3)	To develop unit cost measures to determine the cost of activities performed and services provided by a State agency.
(4)	To make unannounced visits to a State agency when needed to evaluate a program or an activity of the agency.
(5)	To make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a State agency.
(6)	To determine the extent to which a State agency has implemented any of the Division's recommendations concerning the agency.
(7)	To require a State agency to submit a written response to a proposed or final recommendation of the Division and to submit a written explanation of the extent to which the agency has implemented the Division's recommendations.
(8)	To conduct studies directed by the Legislative Services Commission or either house of the General Assembly.
(9)	To make periodic reports of the activities and recommendations of the Division and of any savings achieved by the implementation of its recommendations."
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.