Section 45-12-173. Office to promote state development; duties of Governor; employment of personnel; furnishing of advice and assistance by other state officials

   (a) The Office of Planning and Budget shall perform the function of promoting the orderly growth and development of the state through the proper planning and programming of the affairs of state government. The Governor shall be ex officio director of state planning.

(b) The Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, shall make available such planning and programming service, technical assistance, information, and advice as specified in this Code section and Code Sections 45-12-174 through 45-12-176 to departments, agencies, and institutions of state government, to the General Assembly, and to local and joint units of government and other public bodies as may be appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Code section and Code Sections 45-12-174 through 45-12-176.

(c) The Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, shall encourage comprehensive and coordinated planning and programming of the affairs of the state government. He may inquire into the methods of planning and program development in the conduct of the affairs of state government; he may prescribe for adequate systems of records for planning and programming purposes; and he may prescribe the institution and uses of standards for effective planning and programming.

(d) The Governor shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly a development program for the consideration and review of the General Assembly. A program budget report shall satisfy this requirement. The development program shall be submitted within five days after the organization of the General Assembly for review with the budget document.

(e) The director of the Office of Planning and Budget is authorized and directed to employ fully qualified professional, technical, and clerical personnel as required to carry out the duties prescribed in this Code section and Code Sections 45-12-174 through 45-12-176.

(f) The Attorney General, the state auditor, and such other state officials as shall be called upon shall render such advice and assistance and furnish such information to the Office of Planning and Budget as may be requested and needed.

Ga. L. 1967, p. 252, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 8, § 45; Ga. L. 2005, p. 976, § 6/HB 509.