(a) There is established a task force to study ways to encourage greater and improved collaboration among the state and municipal governments and regional bodies. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, (1) the examination of functions, activities or services, currently performed by municipalities individually, that might be more efficiently performed by the Office of Policy and Management on behalf of municipalities willing to opt in or opt out of accepting such performance on their behalf, (2) the examination of functions, activities or services, currently performed by the state or municipalities that might be provided in a more efficient, high-quality, cost-effective or responsive manner by regional councils of governments, regional educational service centers or other similar regional bodies that are responsive to residents, (3) cost savings of government services, including, but not limited to, joint purchasing, for a municipality and its local or regional school district, (4) cost savings through the sharing of government services, including, but not limited to, joint purchasing, among municipalities, (5) the standardization and alignment of various regions of the state, (6) analyses of any other initiatives that might facilitate the delivery of services in a more efficient, high-quality, cost-effective or responsive manner, and (7) a recommendation of the division, if any, of revenue in the regionalization subaccount within the regional planning incentive account established under § 4-66k, between the Office of Policy and Management and the regional councils of governments, regional educational service centers or similar regional bodies for the purposes of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection. Any initiative recommended to be undertaken by the task force shall be offered to municipalities on a voluntary basis.

(b) The task force shall consist of (1) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or the secretary’s designee, (2) the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development and finance, revenue and bonding, or their designees, and (3) the members of the Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, established under § 2-79a.

(c) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. The Office of Policy and Management shall provide additional support to the task force as necessary.

(d) Not later than February 5, 2020, the task force shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of § 11-4a, on its findings and recommendations for any legislative changes to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development and finance, revenue and bonding. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or February 5, 2020, whichever is later.

(e) On and after July 1, 2020, and in accordance with the findings and recommendations of the task force under this section, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall commence offering the performance of any functions, activities or services recommended under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.

(f) The secretary shall establish requirements of and procedures and guidelines for the performance of functions, activities or services under subsection (a) of this section, the amounts of any grants to be awarded and deadlines for application submissions and final selection of grant recipients. The secretary may also establish fees to be charged to municipalities that opt to participate in any functions, activities or services offered under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.

(g) Any regional council of governments, regional educational service center or other similar regional body offering any functions, activities or services under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section may establish fees to be charged to municipalities that opt to participate in such functions, activities or services.