OKLAHOMA CITY (April 27, 2010) — House leaders praised the governor today for signing legislation requiring that any task force meet and issue a final report within three years of its creation or be automatically eliminated.

"In this economic environment, government modernization is not a luxury, it is a necessity," said House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. "This is a common sense measure that will allow for productive task forces to continue, while others that languish are automatically eliminated."

The intent of House Bill 2319, by Rep. Jason Murphey, is to ensure that the many state agencies, boards, commissions and task forces created are actually performing their intended function.

"Oklahoma has more agencies, boards and commissions than any other state our size. This legislation will help ensure that the task forces we have on the books are effective and functioning according to the law," said Murphey, R-Guthrie.

The bill requires that if a legislatively-created task force or similar advisory body does not conduct at least one meeting or issue a final report within three years of the date in which the law that created it became effective, that task force will cease to have any authority and be considered terminated.

The automatic elimination of these task forces would provide savings to the state in associated costs like member travel and per diem or any contract for professional services costs that would otherwise be associated with the task forces.

"This common sense bill will save the state money and resources by eliminating task forces that are no longer needed," said Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore and Senate author of the bill.