BILL NUMBER:  S2442

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act in relation to moneys of the community projects fund


 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To ensure that monies allocated for community projects in the state
budget be paid, even in the event an incumbent legislator is not in
office following the actual allocation.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section one of the bill sets forth that no appropriation or
re-appropriation, to be funded from the community projects fund in the
state budget, shall be reduced or withheld once the legislator who
proposed or sponsored the appropriation or re-appropriation is no
longer in office and that any commitment made to such appropriation or
re-appropriation shall be fully executed.
Section two is the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Unfortunately, it has become routine for the majority body in each
              

house to cancel or impede the disbursement of funds allocated to
community projects sponsored by incumbent legislators when they lose
election and will no longer be around in the following legislative
year to ensure the funds are disbursed.

Every year thousands of community and not-for-profit organizations
throughout the State apply to their respective state representatives
in the legislature for community project funds. Many organizations
come to rely on these promised disbursements when creating their
budgets and expending funds on behalf of their various causes.
Cutting off this funding once it has been promised and built into
their respective budgets creates tremendous turmoil for these groups
and requires them to seek emergency funding or even cancel the events
the money is used for.

Simply put, this cannot, and should not happen. This bill will
alleviate these problems and ensure community organizations that face
themselves in this situation that funding will not be cut off.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None to the State.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
2007-08 - S.3178 - Died Finance

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.