(2) |
The powers, functions, and duties of the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst under the supervision of the fiscal analyst are:
(a) |
(i) |
to estimate general revenue collections, including comparisons of:
(A) |
current estimates for each major tax type to long-term trends for that tax type; |
(B) |
current estimates for federal fund receipts to long-term federal fund trends; and |
(C) |
current estimates for tax collections and federal fund receipts to long-term trends deflated for the inflationary effects of debt monetization; and |
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(ii) |
to report the analysis required under Subsection (2)(a)(i) to the Legislature’s Executive Appropriations Committee before each annual general session of the Legislature; |
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(b) |
to analyze in detail the state budget before the convening of each legislative session and make recommendations to the Legislature on each item or program appearing in the budget, including:
(i) |
funding for and performance of programs, acquisitions, and services currently undertaken by state government to determine whether each department, agency, institution, or program should:
(A) |
continue at its current level of expenditure; |
(B) |
continue at a different level of expenditure; or |
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(ii) |
increases or decreases to spending authority and other resource allocations for the current and future fiscal years; |
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(c) |
to prepare on all proposed bills fiscal estimates that reflect:
(i) |
potential state government revenue impacts; |
(ii) |
anticipated state government expenditure changes; |
(iii) |
anticipated expenditure changes for county, municipal, special district, or special service district governments; |
(iv) |
anticipated direct expenditure by Utah residents and businesses, including the unit cost, number of units, and total cost to all impacted residents and businesses; and |
(v) |
if the proposed bill changes retirement benefits under a system or plan governed by Title 49, Utah State Retirement and Insurance Benefit Act, the anticipated effect on:
(A) |
each affected system’s or plan’s unfunded actuarial accrued liability and actuarial funded ratio, based on current employer contributions; |
(B) |
employer contributions and member contributions; |
(C) |
a retiree’s retirement allowance; |
(D) |
the total cost to active members and retirees; and |
(E) |
the total cost to employers for all active members and retirees; |
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(d) |
to indicate whether each proposed bill will impact the regulatory burden for Utah residents or businesses, and if so:
(i) |
whether the impact increases or decreases the regulatory burden; and |
(ii) |
whether the change in burden is high, medium, or low; |
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(e) |
beginning in 2017 and repeating every three years after 2017, to prepare the following cycle of analyses of long-term fiscal sustainability:
(i) |
in year one, the joint revenue volatility report required under Section 63J-1-205; |
(ii) |
in year two, a long-term budget for programs appropriated from major funds and tax types; and |
(iii) |
in year three, a budget stress test comparing estimated future revenue to and expenditure from major funds and tax types under various potential economic conditions; |
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(f) |
to report instances in which the administration may be failing to carry out the expressed intent of the Legislature; |
(g) |
to propose and analyze statutory changes for more effective operational economies or more effective administration; |
(h) |
to prepare, before each annual general session of the Legislature, a summary showing the current status of the following as compared to the past nine fiscal years:
(ii) |
long-term liabilities; |
(iii) |
contingent liabilities; |
(iv) |
General Fund borrowing; |
(vi) |
fund and nonlapsing balances; and |
(vii) |
cash funded capital investments; |
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(i) |
to make recommendations for addressing the items described in Subsection (2)(h) in the upcoming annual general session of the Legislature; |
(j) |
to prepare, after each session of the Legislature, a summary showing the effect of the final legislative program on the financial condition of the state; |
(k) |
to conduct organizational and management improvement studies in accordance with 9, and legislative rule; |
(l) |
to prepare and deliver upon request of any interim committee or the Legislative Management Committee, reports on the finances of the state and on anticipated or proposed requests for appropriations; |
(m) |
to recommend areas for research studies by the executive department or the interim committees; |
(n) |
to appoint and develop a professional staff within budget limitations; |
(o) |
to prepare and submit the annual budget request for the office; |
(p) |
to develop a taxpayer receipt:
(i) |
available to taxpayers through a website; and |
(ii) |
that allows a taxpayer to view on the website an estimate of how the taxpayer’s tax dollars are expended for government purposes; and |
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(q) |
to publish or provide other information on taxation and government expenditures that may be accessed by the public. |
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