Bills propose consolidating agencies

Sen. Buck Clarke, R-Hollandale, has authored two bills that would consolidate major state agencies in an effort to streamline services and save money.

Clarke’s first bill proposes combining the departments of agriculture and commerce, animal health, environmental quality, and the fair, forestry and soil and water commissions into the umbrella of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture, Commerce and Natural Resources.

If the bill passes, the agriculture commissioner would become head of the new department. A call to Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was recently re-elected to another four-year term, was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.

"We are currently monitoring the bill (SB 2361) and working with the Senate to assess whether it will impact the services we provide to private and public forest landowners, and the school boards of Mississippi," said Brighton Forester, public relations director of the Forestry Commission.

Clarke maintains the consolidation wouldn't impact the agencies' objectives.

“I can tell you first off, we won’t detract from each of those agencies’ missions one bit,” Clarke said. “When you look at their support services and administrative costs — we believe we can find some savings there. For the Ag agencies, they spend $18 million or $19 million a year in administrative costs. Medicaid, DHS and Rehab — we certainly don’t want to detract from what their core function is and they do a good job — but their combined administrative support cost is $200 million.”

Clarke, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, says he doesn’t have any ballpark figures on what such consolidation would save, but believes it would save taxpayer dollars.

“Even if we’re just talking about combining some (human resource) functions, some backroom accounting services and things like that,” Clarke said. “If we save $5 million on the whole combined Ag agency, that’s $5 million we’ve saved in tight times.”

Clarke noted that some of the agencies, such as Medicaid and DHS, have separate offices in many counties across the state, which could potentially be consolidated into one office.

The bills have at least perked the interest of the state’s top political leaders.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said he supports efforts to eliminate waste in the government and would consider Clarke’s ideas.

“I believe Chairman Clarke is looking for ways to streamline state government and save money for our taxpayers. We must eliminate waste in the bureaucracy of state government if we are going to invest in our priorities like education and transportation,” Reeves, also the president of the Senate, said in an emailed statement. “There are numerous ways to skin that cat, and I believe every idea is worth considering.”

A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Bryant said the governor was not aware the legislation would be filed but is also willing to consider Clarke’s proposal.

"The Governor has long favored streamlining state government to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Two years ago, he introduced a plan to do that," the governor's Director of Communications Clay Chandler said. "Gov. Bryant … is always willing to explore consolidation that achieves cost savings but does not jeopardize state autonomy or endanger any federal funds agencies receive."

Clarke was not immediately available for comment on Thursday afternoon.

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Robbie Wilbur said the department was aware of the bill and is reviewing it.

Clarke’s second bill proposed creating the Department of Medicaid and Human Services. The new department would include the Division of Medicaid, the Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the Department of Human Services, excluding foster care, adoption and other programs.

Senate Bill 2384 also states that the governor would appoint the executive director with the advice and consent of the Senate.

A spokesperson for the Division of Medicaid, which is housed under the governor's office, said they are just learning of the bill and will likely "follow the governor's lead."

Both bills would take effect on July 1, 2016, and both would allow the agency heads to combine or get rid of employee positions and reorganize offices, services and programs to save money.

Bryant has pushed for government consolidation in the past. When he took office in 2012, he called for a reduction and consolidation of the nearly 200 state boards and commissions — such as the boards for acupuncturists, barbers, cosmetologists and massage therapists. Bryant said non-elected bureaucrats control too much of state government and the budget and cost taxpayers.

In 2014, as part of his “Opportunity Mississippi” plan, Bryant called for the elimination of any board or commission that had not met for 24 months, for regular audits of the boards and for limiting the terms of members and providing means for them to be removed from office for cause.

Bryant’s calls for such elimination or consolidation didn’t go far. He has said in the past that many agencies, boards and commissions have powerful lobbies and constituencies in the Legislature that prevent consolidation efforts.

Clarke has also filed a third bill that would change some of the state's "special fund" agencies — those that generate much of their own budget through direct fees or taxes — to general fund.

“Everybody then comes (to the Legislature) with their budget request like everybody else, asking for the same pot of money,” Clarke said.

Contact Kate Royals at (601) 360-4619 or kroyals@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @KRRoyals on Twitter.