Executive Reorganization, Committee on; 1980, Sep-Dec

              STATE OF UTAH
Committee on Executive Reorganization
105 State Capitol  • Salt Lake City, Utah 84IN   • (801)533-5865
Scott M. Matheson
Governor
Arch L. Madsen
Chairman
Kenneth C. Olson
Vice-Chairman
Robert G. Arnold
Kent Cotton
Deedee Corradini
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Diana Dougan
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Jack T. Higginbotham
cc
Roger H. Mattson
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Jay L. Nelson
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Charlotte Newman
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DeWitt Paul
Gilbert Shelton
to
Althea Smith
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R. J. Snow
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J. /rfon Sorenson
—
Kristine Strachan
Richard Ulibarri
Lynette Wilson
Jon M. Memmott
ex-Officio
Helen Goddard
Staff Director
September 8, 1980
Senator Warren Pugh, Co-chairman
Representative Don Strong, Co-chairman
Legislative Interim Committee on Transportation
and Public Safety
Dear Committee Chairmen:
The Committee on Executive Reorganization has
reviewed the preliminary drafts of the Emergency
Powers Act and the Comprehensive Emergency Management
Act.
The Committee finds the bills in keeping with
the basic concepts of our recommendations made in
1979.  Those concepts include the following:
1. The Office of Emergency Services should be
integrated with the on-going responsibilities of the
Department of Public Safety.  This will ensure planning that incorporates the operational capabilities
of state and local agencies which have specific
responsibilities in the event of an emergency.  In
addition, such placement will ensure utilization of
the statewide communication capabilities present in
the backbone microwave network which is now operated
by the Department of Public Safety.
2. The chief executive should have clear authority to declare the existence of an emergency and to
direct the state's response.  The Committee recommends
that the functions of the Council of Defense be
modified away from day to day operations and toward
policy making and review in an advisory capacity upon
declaration of an emergency.  The Governor should be
given clear authority to.make such declarations.  The
Council should not hire and fire staff.  The Director
of the Office should be appointed by the Commissioner
of Public Safety with the consultation of the Council
of Defense.