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Federal Grants Management Task Force

SECTION 183.   (a) There shall be a task force to study and issue a report on maximizing state use of federal revenues. The task force's review of federal revenue opportunities shall include, but not be limited to, federal grants, contracts, loan guarantees and reimbursements. The task force shall review best practices in other jurisdictions and issue recommendations to achieve best practices. The review shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of: (i) current practices in identifying opportunities, submitting applications and managing federal funds; (ii) the relationship and coordination between programmatic and fiscal staff; (iii) the management and administration of grants, including resources devoted, information technology, data storage and warehousing, transparency, workflow automation and performance accountability; (iv) current interface with existing payment and procurement systems, including the Massachusetts management accounting and reporting system and COMMBUYS; (v) interagency and interdepartmental coordination and cooperation; (vi) consolidation of databases currently managing grants into a single centralized system; (vii) the selection, reimbursement and closeout of subrecipients and vendors; (viii) the general court's role in facilitating opportunities; and (ix) the coordination between the members of the general court and members of the United States Congress from the commonwealth and federal agency personnel. The report shall include, but not be limited to, federal opportunities available to benefit the general public or a segment of the general public, including state agencies or departments, institutions of higher education and state authorities.

(b) The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the secretary of administration and finance who shall serve as chair; the state comptroller; the state auditor; the state treasurer; the attorney general; the state secretary; the secretary of education; the secretary of energy and environmental affairs; the secretary of health and human services; the secretary of housing and economic development; the secretary of labor and workforce development; the secretary of public safety and security; the secretary of transportation; the court administrator; the chair of the senate committee on intergovernmental affairs; the chair of the house committee on technology and intergovernmental affairs; the executive director of the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts; and 2 members to be appointed by the governor who shall have expertise and experience working with federal grants.

(c) The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the senate committee on intergovernmental affairs and the house committee on technology and intergovernmental affairs not later than July 1, 2016.
 

Veto Explanation:
I am vetoing this section because the Executive Office for Administration and Finance is already working on the issues to be addressed by this proposed new task force. The task force process would slow down that important work. We look forward to sharing the results of this work with the Legislature.