A JOINT MEMORIAL

DIRECTING AGENCIES TO DEVELOP PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND STANDARDS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT ACT.

WHEREAS, the legislature finds that to effectively implement the Accountability in Government Act, agencies should be held accountable for the use of their resources to better serve the citizens of New Mexico through the efficient delivery of services and effective administration of governmental programs; and

WHEREAS, agencies should be held accountable for the services they deliver in accordance with clearly defined missions, goals and objectives; and

WHEREAS, agencies should develop measures to evaluate performance and assess programs in achieving goals and objectives, and those measures should be results-oriented, focus on outcomes, be selective to concentrate on significant performance indicators rather than workloads, to provide reliable consistent data over time and provide valuable information to both policy and program decision-makers;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor direct the state budget division of the department of finance and administration and that the legislative finance committee direct its staff to coordinate the implementation of the Accountability in Government Act through the steering committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that under guidelines developed by the state budget division, in consultation with the legislative finance committee, each agency for which appropriations are made shall file a report with the state budget division and legislative finance committee analyzing its performance relative to the attainment of performance standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the steering committee ensure that the performance measures focus on those services that are most commonly delivered, of high cost to the state or for which the state has a fiduciary or stewardship responsibility or legal obligation and that the measures include an assessment of the cost per unit of outcome and quality; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in developing guidelines for the submission of agency performance reports, the state budget division shall establish reporting standards that address variances between actual and targeted performance levels; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in concert with the required annual agency strategic planning process, the state budget division shall require that strategic plans that consider internal and external assessments and development of health and human service performance measures be coordinated among the state agency on aging, human services department, department of health, department of labor and the children, youth and families department; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following agencies develop baseline data information for the following programs:

(1) the taxation and revenue department motor vehicle program to measure the number of errors in processing transactions, wait time, number of employees and the number of transactions processed by each employee;

(2) the human services department child support enforcement program to measure the rate of case reductions, in temporary assistance for needy families due to child support enforcement;

(3) the corrections department inmate programming program on:

(a) the closed custody control unit to measure the number of inmates meeting placement criteria; the number of inmates placed in the unit; the number of inmates completing cognitive restructuring programs and meeting required behavior standards that graduate from the unit into other housing units; the number of closed custody control unit inmate graduates functioning to standard in other housing assignments; and the number of closed custody control unit graduate inmates requiring return to the closed custody control unit due to inappropriate behavior; and

(b) the percentage of inmate escapes in relation to total inmate population in public and private prisons and how it compares to the national average;

(4) the corrections department community offender management program on:

(a) the number of inmates who complete the substance abuse diagnosis and treatment program and who voluntarily withdraw and are discharged from a New Mexico corrections department facility;

(b) inmate violence rates and cost factors; the number of inmate disciplinary problems; the amount of good time lost; and the amount of administrative segregation time and cost; and

(5) the department of public safety law enforcement program to compare the number of drug buys to drug arrests that resulted in indictments and convictions; and

(6) the human services department medicaid program on medicaid managed care to compare the numbers and demographics of enrollees with those of individuals potentially eligible to enroll; the medical loss ratio, the expenditures and utilization by service for each plan; the quality of care, including the number of complaints filed with the plan and program; the administrative costs for the program and each plan; the health status of participants; the effectiveness plan utilization management, including out-of-network referrals and denials for services; and the impact of the program on health service infrastructure and professionals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative council, in consultation with interim legislative committees, develop a statewide strategic plan, goals, objectives and performance measures; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative finance committee and the state auditor exercise their subpoena authority to acquire data and information required for effective, timely implementation of the Accountability in Government Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that to aid accountability in government, the state auditor, the department of finance and administration, the general services department, the information technology management office, the personnel board, the state treasurer, the state department of public education and the commission on higher education, as oversight agencies that have responsibilities for other state agencies, institutions and political subdivisions, shall file strategic plans for fiscal years 2001 and 2002 with the state budget division of the department of finance and administration and the legislative finance committee by May 1, 2000 and September 1, 2000, respectively; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plans shall be developed in accordance with guidelines established by the state budget division in consultation with the legislative finance committee and shall include internal and external assessments; agency missions, goals and objectives; action plans and performance measures; fiscal year 2000 baseline data; and fiscal years 2001 and 2002 performance standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oversight agencies perform and incorporate appropriate performance measures into their strategic plans for the following tasks:

A. The commission on higher education shall coordinate with the public post-secondary educational institutions for data collection and shall assist the institutions in developing a strategic plan and in developing baseline data and performance standards for the following quality and effectiveness indicators:

(1) accessible and affordable public post-secondary education;

(2) student progress and student success;

(3) academic quality and quality learning environment;

(4) efficient and effective use of resources;

(5) quality of research and creative activity at the state's research educational institutions;

(6) service to New Mexicans; and

(7) economic impact of each public post-secondary educational institution.

Every public post-secondary educational institution shall provide information to the commission and shall assist the commission in developing reporting data. Draft reports of the commission's plan and performance standards for higher education shall be filed with the state budget division and the legislative finance committee by September 1, 2000.

B. The state department of public education shall coordinate data collection, develop a strategic plan and develop baseline data and performance standards for the following quality and effectiveness indicators for public schools:

(1) statewide assessment program;

(2) promotion rates;

(3) dropout rates;

(4) attendance rates;

(5) quality of education survey questions for school districts; and

(6) safety of school environments.

One-third of the school districts shall file their strategic plan with the state department of public education, state budget division, the legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee and other appropriate legislative interim committees by September 1, 2000.

C. The state budget division shall file a state strategic training plan with the legislative finance committee by May 1, 2000. The plan shall identify training needs for state agency personnel. All state agencies shall cooperate with the division in the development of the plan. The division shall carry out the training plan by June 15, 2000.

D. The secretary of finance and administration shall report to the legislative finance committee by May 31, 2000 on how the strategic plans of the following agencies address the following duties and how the fiscal year 2001 operating budgets allocate resources to accomplish them:

(1) for the financial control division, to:

(a) issue accurate monthly budget and financial reports, prepare cash reconciliations and record adjusting accounting entries within twenty days after the end of each month and thirty-five days after the end of the fiscal year;

(b) certify to the state auditor that the agencies under its oversight have closed their books and records on the accrual basis of accounting, have prepared accrual basis financial statements and agree on agency-prepared working papers; and

(c) review agencies' fund balances to determine compliance for reverting funds within ten days of release of audit reports;

(2) for the state auditor, to complete state agency audits within sixty days from the date of the financial control division of the department of finance and administration certification;

(3) for the state budget division, to:

(a) provide adequate training to state agency personnel on preparing and implementing their strategic plans; and

(b) define programs and performance measures; accumulate and report baseline data; and establish performance standards as required in the Accountability in Government Act;

(4) for the local government division, to:

(a) identify and address noncompliance by local governments with rules relating to budgets, records, reports, handling and disbursement of public money and other financial matters of local governments; and

(b) implement procedures to monitor compliance with rules;

(5) for the management and contracts review division, to:

(a) provide accurate monthly contract reports to the legislative finance committee within fifteen days of the end of the month; and

(b) notify the legislative finance committee and other appropriate authorities of any serious concerns with proposed contracts or noncompliance with statutory provisions;

(6) for the purchasing division of the general services department, to negotiate state vendor contracts for purchases that ensure cost-effective procurement of goods and services;

(7) for the information technology management office, to:

(a) conduct performance or technology audits or reviews of three major information system development projects during the year;

(b) reduce redundant data, equipment, software and telecommunications systems;

(d) maintain an up-to-date inventory of information technology and resources;

(8) for the state personnel office, to:

(a) increase the accuracy of employment lists of qualified candidates for prospective state agency employers; and

(b) provide employment candidate lists to the prospective state agency employers within an average of ten working days following close of recruitment;

(9) for the state treasurer, to:

(a) prepare a monthly cash, investment and earnings reconciliation, including distribution of interest earnings within twenty-five days after the end of each month and thirty-five days after the end of the fiscal year; and

(b) comply with the investment policy approved by the state board of finance for investing operating and trust money and for the local government investment pool in his custody;

(10) for the state department of public education, to:

(a) identify and address noncompliance by school districts with laws and rules relating to management and direction, including financial direction, distribution of school funds and financial accounting to determine the long-term financial solvency of each public school; and

(b) implement procedures to monitor timely resolution of identified problems and take required action for noncompliance; and

(11) for the commission on higher education, to:

(a) determine the cost-effectiveness of its operations;

(b) determine equitable financing of higher education through the instruction and general funding formula;

(c) facilitate capital infrastructure need assessments and recommendations and timely distribution of capital infrastructure appropriations requested by institutions;

(d) determine the effectiveness of financial aid programs in providing accessibility and affordability for New Mexicans, including the return on investment from state grant and loan programs; and

(e) provide effective oversight and licensure of all private post-secondary educational institutions operating in New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the secretary of finance and administration, the director of the state budget division and the legislative finance committee.