Senator Wiener indicated that Senator Pogemiller had expressed his concerns about the timeliness of the reports, since a series would be published towards the end of the session. There were discussions about timelines and delays in the topic selection process in the first year of each meeting due to the time required to appoint Commission members. There has been much discussion about the impact of legislation requiring evaluation studies, and Senator Wiener has asked the commissioners to encourage other legislators to recognize the subject selection process. Mr. Brooks suggested that adding additional studies would put a strain on experienced staff and that if the office were to contract for a study, it would lose credibility. Senator Wiener indicated that a bill had been introduced to allow the commission to override all mandates. It noted that it had not been heard, but suggested introducing it every year. Senator Knutson suggested that the chair of the commission send a memorandum to all members of the Legislative Assembly asking them to recognize the commission`s subject selection process. Representative Greiling suggested incorporating this into the common rules of the Senate and House of Representatives. After discussions on the resources available and the thirteen topics included in the survey, two mandatory topics related to crime and one topic proposed in the legislation a few years ago, it was agreed that the subcommittee would ask the staff of the program evaluation department to complete the evaluation proposals on the following topics: out-of-home housing for youth, regulators, state building code, feedlot regulation, mosquito control in the metropolis; and background papers on the cost of crime (legislative mandate), a study on bail procedures (legislative mandate) and PCA administrative penalty orders (which were requested to be reviewed in previous legislation). These are recommended to the plenary session of the Legislative Review Commission. The Legislative Audit Commission`s Subject Selection Subcommittee meeting was chaired by Senator Deanna Wiener on Friday the 27th. He was called to order at 8:35 a.m.
in the G-21 State Capitol Hall in March 1998. Senator Wiener paid tribute to Roger Brooks, Assistant Legislative Auditor of Program Evaluation. Mr. Brooks reviewed the results of a survey of legislators on issues of interest, as well as two legislated crime-related issues. He stressed that staff would be able to work on five main themes and suggested that the Commission choose one or two smaller studies to work on when they were completed, but before the new topics were chosen next year. ___ Senator Deanna Wiener, Chair ___.