Virginia Commission on State Governmental Management Records, 1973-1978

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Virginia. Commission on State Governmental Management. Records, 1973-1978. Accession 29887, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
37.35 cu. ft. (83 boxes)
Creator:
Virginia. Commission on State Governmental Management.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Virginia. Commission on State Governmental Management. Records, 1973-1978. Accession 29887, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Records, 1973-1978, containing the working papers and records of the Virginia Commission on State Governmental Management. Senator William B. Hopkins was chairman of the Commission which was often called the Hopkins Commission. Included are budget reports, correspondence, reports, memoranda, speeches, minutes, vouchers, and research notes. Also included are questionnaires submitted by departments within state agencies; and reports and studies of other states that had similar government reorganization groups.

Biographical / historical:

Virginia's population growth and urbanization during the 1960s increased demand for state services and led to the creation of an assortment of new state agencies. The rapid growth of state government fueled concerns that state services were not provided in the most efficient and economical manner. On February 18, 1970, Governor Linwood Holton created the Governor's Management Study, Inc., a non-profit, privately funded corporation, empowered to improve and reduce the cost of providing governmental services to the state's citizens and reduce the number of departments reporting directly to the Governor. The Study, composed of private citizens and business leaders, submitted its final report in November 1970. Its main recommendation was the creation of a cabinet system to streamline the executive branch and reduce the demands on the Governor's time. The General Assembly concurred and created six cabinet secretaries in 1972. However, the act did not clearly define the duties and powers of the secretaries. This problem, along with the belief that the Governor's Management Study did not have sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive study of state government, led the legislature to create its own commission.

The Commission on State Governmental Management was created by an act of the General Assembly approved on March 20, 1973. The commission initially was composed of fifteen members: seven appointed by the speaker from the membership of the House of Delegates, four appointed by the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee from the Senate's membership, and four appointed by the governor from the state at large. In 1976 the commission's number was increased to sixteen, and the House Committee on General Laws appointed the new member. Patrick M. McSweeney served as Executive Director and Kenneth Golden served as Deputy Director of the Commission. The commission was also known as the Hopkins Commission after its chairman, Senator William B. Hopkins.

The goal of the commission was to recommend changes in the organization of state government that would result in a reduction in the number of agencies, less duplication of effort, clearer lines of authority, and undivided responsibilities for particular functions of government. The act creating the commission specified certain areas for study that were later increased in number and stipulated that an interim report be presented to the governor and the General Assembly by October 1, 1973, and a final report be presented by October 1, 1974. These deadlines were extended three times until a final report was required by October 1, 1977, and it was ordered that "all work of the commission be terminated no later than March 31, 1978."

To assist the commission in its work a staff of consultants and researchers was assembled. The commission published interim reports and studies of particular areas of state government. Some but not all of the commission's recommendations were adopted and enacted into law. Two major recommendations adopted were the revision and strengthening of the secretarial system and the creation of the Department of Planning and Budget.

Acquisition information:

Transferred 27 March 1978 from the Commission on State Governmental Management, 6 N. 6th Street, Richmond, VA 23219. [Acc. 29887].

Transferred 18 September 1978 from the Commission on State Governmental Management, 6 N. 6th Street, Richmond, VA 23219 and interfiled. [Acc. 30074].

Processing information:

This collection has been processed using minimal processing standards: the original arrangement has been maintained, the container list is brief and simple, and the records have not been refoldered and fasteners have not been removed.