Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission -- JLARC
We’re gonna have some fun today, amirite? We’re going to talk about JLARC – The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
It seems like everyone is interested in government transparency these days. What’s going on in those smoke-filled rooms behind those closed doors? Well, the rooms are no longer smoke-filled, and, by and large, the doors are open. So what’s keeping average everyday Americans from finding out what their government is doing? It usually boils down to a lack of information, a lack of time, or (perhaps most honestly) a preference for doing something else other than actually working to understand what’s happening in government. It’s much easier to complain over a glass of wine.
The activities of state governments have a greater influence on the everyday lives of Americans than activities at the national level. However, the decline in local newspapers and the 24/7 mainstream media coverage of the drama of government at the national level (particularly these days) is sucking all the oxygen out of the room and drawing our attention away from things that are actually more important — the traditional state responsibilities for education, health care, infrastructure, law enforcement, environmental policy, taxes, and so forth.
In Virginia, there are several ways to find out what’s going on in our state government. One of these avenues is JLARC. Authorized by statute in 1973, JLARC provides readily accessible insight into the activities of the Virginia General Assembly. It produces the data and analysis that underpins legislation, and it evaluates how successful a piece of legislation is in accomplishing its stated goals.
According to its website, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) conducts program evaluation, policy analysis, and oversight of state agencies on behalf of the Virginia General Assembly. The duties of the Commission are authorized by the Code of Virginia. http://jlarc.virginia.gov/ All of the information I’m providing in this essay is from this website.
The website goes on to state the agency’s principles.
Integrity — JLARC’s work serves the public interest. Agency staff will not be influenced by other interests.
Rigor — Findings are based on in-depth evaluation using the strongest possible research approach.
Objectivity — Research, evaluation, and analysis are conducted without prejudgment, and findings are based only on evidence.
Nonpartisanship — Research, evaluation, and analysis are conducted without partisan bias, by trained, professional staff who do not participate in partisan political activity or commentary.
And then it states its goals.
An informed legislature — JLARC’s work helps inform citizen legislators about agencies, programs, and activities. A primary objective for JLARC is to gather, evaluate, and report information and make recommendations that can be used in legislative decision-making. Reports provide information that may be useful to legislators during deliberation on legislation, during committee hearings, and in responding to constituent questions or requests for assistance.
Compliance with legislative intent — We help ensure that laws are being carried out as the legislature intended. In some cases, intent may not have been clearly understood by program administrators; in other cases, statements of intent may have been ignored. In those instances where legislative intent is not explicit in statute, we can assess and report to the General Assembly on how an agency has decided to implement its mission.
Effectiveness, efficiency, and cost savings — We are required by statute to make recommendations on ways state agencies may achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in their operations. Achieving efficiency means finding ways to accomplish the same tasks at a reduced cost; achieving effectiveness means finding ways to better accomplish program and agency objectives. In some instances, improving effectiveness may require additional spending. We are often, though, able to identify cost savings through better program design or implementation.
This is how JLARC functions:
A JLARC study begins when the legislature identifies a topic for review. The General Assembly typically directs studies by passing joint resolutions of the House and Senate, or by including language in the Appropriation Act.
A typical JLARC study evaluates whether a state agency or program is accomplishing legislative intent and using resources effectively and efficiently, or analyzes an issue of concern related to the core functions of government, such as education or economic development.
Each study is assigned to a staff team, which prepares a detailed work plan. The work plan identifies the specific issues or questions to be addressed and the research approach to be used. JLARC’s management team approves each project work plan.
The research for a study may include interviews with agency personnel, collection and analysis of data from agency records, written or electronic surveys of employees and/or customers, site visits, observation of processes, analysis of financial records, review of relevant literature and other research (such as a similar study in another state), and analysis of secondary data.
After the team completes its research, it prepares a report that is reviewed internally and subjected to quality assurance standards. The draft is then distributed to appropriate agencies for their review and comment.
A revised draft, which also contains agency comments, is presented to the Commission at one of its monthly public meetings. The study leader briefs the study findings and recommendations at the meeting. The Commission authorizes the publication of the study as a legislative document. The printed report is distributed to members of the General Assembly, the governor, and other interested parties. All JLARC reports are published on the JLARC website.
Here's what JLARC is currently working on.
JLARC meets monthly. Their last meeting was Monday, October 17, and it included five presentations:
Gaming Regulation
Virginia Income Tax Progressivity
State Spending
Feasibility and Revenue Impact of a Petersburg Casino
Unimplemented JLARC Recommendations.
In addition, in a separate session on the same day, the commission met to discuss possible research topics for the next year (and possibly two years). The agenda for each meeting is available online and the meetings are streamed live and are also available to view after the meeting on JLARC’s YouTube Channel. Yes, JLARC has a YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6FwkgaPBBZ4o-Kzg90-PJQ
JLARC’s next meeting is on November 7. Presentations will be made about the following topics at this meeting:
Financial aid at Virginia’s public four-year higher education institutions
Prepaid529 surplus funds (this is a college savings plan)
COVID-19 impacts on K-12 education
JLARC accomplishes all of this with a staff of about 30. On the “employment” section of its website, JLARC describes its staff as having backgrounds in public policy, public administration, program evaluation, political science, government, law, economics, and finance. It goes on to state that JLARC is a “recognized leader in legislative program evaluation” and that its work “leads to major improvements in important state government programs.” The website cites two examples of how JLARC contributed to legislative initiatives – the legalization of marijuana in Virginia and the reform of Virginia’s foster care system.
You can access JLARC reports from the “All Reports” section of its website. A quick skim of report topics on this page shows that JLARC has recently published reports on K-12 Educational Standards of Quality, Oversight of the Virginia Retirement System, Affordable Housing, the Juvenile Justice System, Economic Development, Transportation, Trade, Mental Health Parity, and more.
I just learned about JLARC a couple of weeks ago, and I’m looking forward to utilizing its research and findings to inform my own understanding of my state’s government. Wherever you live, your state has a JLARC-equivalent organization. Check it out.