Section 45-12-175. Preparation of long-range development plans by office; designation of planning officer or representative by departments, agencies, or institutions

   (a) The Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, shall have in continuous process and revision a strategic plan for the state as a whole. This plan shall be updated at least on an annual basis and shall cover a minimum period of time as determined by the Office of Planning and Budget, but not less than five years. It shall have as its primary goal the improved fiscal responsibility and responsiveness of state government and the effective and efficient delivery of services throughout the geographic area of the state with an emphasis on decentralizing state government. The goals and strategies contained in this state strategic plan shall be reflected by the various departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, authorities, and other agencies of state government, as respectively applies, in the development of their own strategic plans which specifically deal with their respective future directions and organizational missions. Each strategic plan developed by each department, board, bureau, commission, institution, authority, and other agency of state government shall contain a description of its future direction; a statement of its organizational mission; a description of the current and anticipated future needs being addressed by its preferred future direction and organizational mission; a description of planned actions designed to address these needs; a description of the goals for the program or services to be improved; a course of action for achieving the planned improvements, including an implementation timetable; a description of the evaluation system to be used to determine if the goals are being attained; an estimated annual cost for each planned improvement of a program or service; all efforts to decentralize its administrative and operational functions; and all other items as the Office of Planning and Budget may deem necessary. Each department, board, bureau, commission, institution, authority, and other agency of state government shall submit its own strategic plan to the Office of Planning and Budget as supporting information for the budget estimates required under Code Section 45-12-78.

(b) The Office of Planning and Budget shall cause to be prepared and coordinate the development of strategic plans by departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, authorities, and other agencies to ensure that the state-wide directions are met. The Office of Planning and Budget shall:

   (1) Ensure that the focus of the various plans do not conflict with the general state goals;

   (2) Offer assistance to the various departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, authorities, and other agencies of state government in the design and execution of their programs and be the coordinating agency for the separate department or agency proposals; and

   (3) Phase in implementation by the various departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, authorities, and other agencies of state government.

(c) To assist in the development of plans and programs of state government, the Governor, through the Office of Planning and Budget, may request, as appropriate, that each department, agency, and institution of state government designate, from among its employees and officers, a planning officer or representative who shall be responsible for the planning and coordination of the activities and responsibilities of the department, agency, or institution. Such planning officer or representative shall coordinate program plans prepared for each area of program responsibility within his or her agency of the state government.

Ga. L. 1967, p. 252, § 3; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1914, § 14; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1865, § 6; Ga. L. 2008, p. VO1, § 2-4/HB 529.