Lynn to serve as chair of efficiency task force

Interested in reducing the glut of bills on the House and Senate calendars, state Rep. Susan Lynn plans to make use of being named as chair of the House Republican "Efficiency in Government" task force.
The goal of the task force is to make government more efficient and effective, and Lynn said Wednesday she already has ideas to improve the legislative process.
"At the end of session, we end up with – I am not exaggerating – we'll have a calendar with 70 bills on it," Lynn said. "… Then we'll be handed more calendars with 50 or 60 bills on it on the last day of session, and there's got to be a better way."
She said the sheer amount of information thrown legislators' way in the waning days of the session makes it difficult for even the most studious lawmaker to know all about the bills they will vote on.
"How can you really be sure you're doing the best job you can if you're handed almost 200 bills on a moment's notice, and … there's no legislative days left at that point?" Lynn said, noting the legislature may convene only 90 days over a two-year period. "There is no more time."
House Republican Chairman Charles Sargent, R-Franklin, and House Republican Leader Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, appointed the Mt. Juliet Republican to the chair post.
"We look forward to Susan's service at the helm of this Caucus Task Force as they look at ways to make our legislative process more efficient and effective," Sargent said. "We appreciate her dedication to making government work better and know that she will do a great job as chairman."
Dunn noted the task force is set to report back to leadership officials before the beginning of the 2007 legislative session. He added the group will look at efficiencies in other states across the nation as they study ways to make the legislative process in Tennessee more effective.
Lynn said she was "grateful that Leader Dunn and Chairman Sargent thought of me.
"I've given them my commitment I'll do a thorough job, and I'm excited about the other members … I think we'll come upwith some good ideas," she said.
Other members of the Task Force are Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville; Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, R-Jackson; Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga; Rep. Dolores Gresham, R-Summerville; and Rep. Tom Dubois, R-Columbia.