Fiscal Highlights - November 2015

Performance Note Improvements in Six Easy Steps - Steven M. Allred ( PDF)

Most of us have become familiar with performance notes since a rule change in the 2011 General Session (SJR 5) began requiring them on bills that create a "new program" or "new agency" as defined in rule. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) reviews all bills to determine if they require a performance note. During the 2015 General Session, LFA decided that 39 bills required a performance note. Previous years were lower, most likely because revenue estimates were higher in 2015 and more bills created new or expanded programs.
After reviewing performance notes over the past four years, the LFA and Legislative Auditor General (LAG) recommended the following process improvements to the Executive Appropriations Committee on November 17 in order to raise the visibility and quality of performance notes. The Executive Appropriations Committee approved the recommendations.
  1. Make the process more visible by attaching a performance note to every piece of legislation, on a separate page, similar to a fiscal note. For bills that don't require a performance note, the note would state something like, "No Performance Impact."
  2. Create a data feed from the agencies so they can submit performance note input directly to LFA similar to the way they submit fiscal note input.
  3. Improve internal reviews of performance notes. Currently, rules don't ask LFA to review performance notes. However, LFA and LAG could do so in tandem with LFA's fiscal note process.
  4. Consider using a different color on floor calendars for bills that have a performance impact.
  5. Remove the notice currently placed on the bottom of fiscal notes stating whether a performance note is required or not, as this will be covered by recommendation #1.
  6. Consider heightened consequences to legislation if the performance note is not supplied or is not adequate. The rule could require a bill that does not have a performance note to be held until a performance note is posted.
We are working to implement as many of these recommendations as we can in time for the 2016 General Session.
November 2015 Content ( PDF)
A Look at the Change in Utah's 2015 Unemployment Rate Compared to Other States - Thomas E. Young
The unemployment rate in Utah is one of the lowest in the country at 3.6%.  Based on the most ...
Corrections' Populations Status November 2016 - Gary R. Syphus
The main cost drivers of the Department of Corrections are the (1) prison population and (2) adult ...
Division of Fleet Operations General Fund Borrowing - Brian Wikle
The Division of Fleet Operations was established as an internal service fund (ISF) in FY 1997. ...
Fall Enrollment on the Upswing in Higher Education - Spencer C. Pratt
The Utah System of Higher Education experienced an increase of 2,775 Budget-Related FTE students fo...
Medicaid Costs Projected to Rise - Russell T. Frandsen
Medicaid - What is Included in Consensus for Mandatory Costs?    The Medicaid forecast te...
Performance Note Improvements in Six Easy Steps - Steven M. Allred
Most of us have become familiar with performance notes since a rule change in the 2011 General Sess...
Phragmites Control on the Great Salt Lake - Ivan D. Djambov
The Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands is continuing to work on phragmites control on sove...
Taking the Game Out of Salary and Related Benefit Budget Estimates - Stephen C. Jardine
Prior to 2012 the possibility existed that an agency could estimate the salary and related benefi...
USTAR's Proposed Budget Changes - Clare Tobin Lence
The Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) Initiative has undergone budget reorganizations ...

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