According to the annual reports of the auditor of state, the balances subject to draft in the general revenue fund of the state, from which many of the activities of the state government are supported, had shrunk from more than two million dollars on June 30th, 1919, to less than one million dollars on June 30th, 1920, (all of which, and more, was covered by unlapsed appropriations for the preceding fiscal year), clearly indicating the immediate necessity either for increasing the revenues of the state, or for effecting such a reorganization of the state administration as would tend to conserve the present revenues.  General economic conditions make increased taxes highly undesirable at the present time.

At the convening of the eighty-fourth general assembly numerous vacancies existed in various state offices and in various state boards, and other like vacancies have occurred since that time.  By reason of the known probability of a reorganization such as is embodied in this act, persons appointed to fill such vacancies have uncertain tenure and are thereby deterred from initiating and carrying through definite administrative policies; and in several instances such appointments have been accepted temporarily only, pending early reorganization.

As a result of all the foregoing, the state service in the appointive state departments, shown by said investigations to be wasteful and inefficient, is becoming increasingly demoralized.  All of these departments exercise functions pertaining to the protection of the public health, the conservation of the public peace and morals, or the promotion of the public safety.  The necessity of placing their functions upon a sound, economical, permanent and secure basis is great and immediate.

The appropriations for the current expenses of the state government and institutions which must be made by the eighty-fourth general assembly for the fiscal biennium beginning July 1st, 1921, cannot be effectually apportioned nor their amounts fixed unless the reorganization effected by this act is operative during the period to be covered by such appropriations, so that the departments and offices of the state government are definitely determined; and such determination must be made and the framework of the executive branch of the state government must be definitely established and known at the time the general assembly is considering such appropriations.

Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect.

Passed April 19, 1921.

Approved April 26, 1921.

RupertBEETHAM,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.

ClarenceJ. Brown,
President of the Senate.

Harry L. Davis, Governor.

Filed in office of Secretary of State, April 26, 1921.

(109 O.L., 105.)

=Index.=

INDEX SECTIONS.