(1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that pursuant to section 50-402 it is the duty of the Legislative Council (a) to collect information concerning the government and general welfare of the state, (b) to examine the effects of previously enacted statutes and recommend amendments thereto, and (c) to deal with important issues of public policy and questions of statewide interest. The Legislature further finds that it is the duty of the Legislative Council to investigate and study the possibilities for improvements and efficiencies in state government in order to eliminate unnecessary activities, to avoid duplication in office personnel and equipment, to coordinate agency activities, and to develop methods of increasing efficiency and effecting economies.
(2) The Legislature recognizes that evaluation of the success of agencies in effectively implementing legislative intent is a logical extension of the initial policy formulation and enactment process. The Legislature further recognizes the potential value of professional program evaluation as a means of assessing the success of agencies in implementing legislative intent and the need to generate objective information regarding agency performance, in addition to fiscal compliance data, for use in making well-informed decisions relative to the ongoing appropriation of public funds.
(3) The purpose of the Legislative Program Evaluation Act is to provide for a system of program evaluation to be conducted by the Legislative Program Evaluation Unit as directed by the Legislative Program Evaluation Committee.
(4) It is not the purpose of the act to interfere with the duties of the Public Counsel or the Legislative Fiscal Analyst or to interfere with the statutorily defined investigative responsibilities or prerogative of any executive state officer, agency, board, bureau, commission, association, society, or institution, except that the act shall not be construed to preclude the evaluation of an agency on the basis that another agency has the same responsibility. The act shall not be construed to interfere with or supplant the responsibilities or prerogative of the Governor to monitor and report on the performance of the agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, associations, societies, and institutions under his or her administrative direction.