The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) is the oversight agency of the Virginia General Assembly charged with the responsibility of reviewing and evaluating the operation and operations of state agencies and programs. The Commission consists of 14 legislative members and a staff of nonpolitical professional researchers, analysts, lawyers, and auditors who conduct studies and make recommendations for Commission approval. Some of the most professional work of the legislature is done by the JLARC staff. A high percentage of JLARC recommendations become bills that are introduced into and passed by the General Assembly.
For the past two years I was chair of the Commission but with the loss of a majority of Democrats in the House and the rotation of the chair between the two houses, I will be continuing as a member but not chair. My colleague and friend Senator Janet Howell will be serving as chair.
Each year JLARC adopts a work plan guiding its activities for the year. Topics for its work come from the Commission and from resolutions that are passed by the legislature. At its meeting this week JLARC will announce its work plans for this year with most of the activities planned already underway. It takes on the most difficult issues facing the legislature to define in a well-researched and factual way the substance of the issues and a well-defined range of policy recommendations for the General Assembly to consider.
Among the topics to be studied this year include the level of need for more affordable housing in the state and the effectiveness of the current efforts to stimulate the growth of more affordable housing. In another study JLARC will look at the progressivity of Virginia’s individual income tax. There is a debate going on in the current conference committee on the budget on taxes and a possible doubling of the standard deduction. Most people acknowledge that the income tax while structured to be somewhat progressive in reality is regressive, and current tax proposals may make it even more regressive. The study results if followed by the General Assembly could make a significant change in a tax that produces about seventy percent of general fund revenue.
Legalized gambling, referred to as “gaming,” generates at least $8.9 billion in sales and wagering. JLARC staff will take a close look at existing laws to see if they are adequate to protect the public and look at the current regulations to determine their effectiveness. This study comes about just as the state has legalized gambling casinos in several parts of the Commonwealth. On education issues, the staff will undertake a study this year of higher education financial aid and dual enrollment funding. An equally important and challenging study will be the K-12 Standards of Quality funding formula for public schools. A long-needed study will be undertaken this year to evaluate the Community Services Boards system for community mental health services to determine if it meets the needs of the citizens who have behavioral, developmental, and mental health services needs.
There are other studies that will be undertaken this year along with the oversight responsibilities JLARC is assigned. For more information and to review past study results go to jlarc.virginia.gov.
Ken Plum is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
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