Table 4.7

The Governors: Provisions and Procedures for Transition


  Provision for:
FIPS State or other
jurisdiction
Legislation
pertaining to
gubernatorial
transition
Appropriation available to
governor-elect
Gov-elect's
participation in
state budget for
coming fiscal
year
Gov-elect to
hire staff to
assist during
transition
State personnel to
be made available
to assist gov-elect
Office space in
buildings to
be made available
to gov-elect
Acquainting gov-
elect staff with
office procedures
and routing office
functions
Transfer of
information (files,
records, etc.)
01Alabama*

02Alaska

04Arizona

05Arkansas

06California

08Colorado

09Connecticut

10Delaware*

12Florida*✓ (b)

13Georgia*

15Hawaii✓ (w)

16Idaho*

17Illinois*

18Indiana

19Iowa*

20Kansas*✓ (c)

21Kentucky

22Louisiana*

23Maine

24Maryland*

25Massachusetts*

26Michigan*● (v)

27Minnesota✓ (e)

28Mississippi*✓ (f)

29Missouri

● (g)
30Montana

31Nebraska

32Nevada*

33New Hampshire

34New Jersey*250,000

35New Mexico✓ (k)

36New York*

37North Carolina*80,000

38North Dakota(m)(n)

39Ohio✓ (o)

40Oklahoma*

41Oregon

42Pennsylvania*

44Rhode Island*

45South Carolina*

46South Dakota

47Tennessee

· (v)
48Texas*

49Utah✓ (p)

50Vermont*✓ (q)

51Virginia*✓ (h)

53Washington

54West Virginia*

55Wisconsin

56Wyoming

60American Samoa*U✓ (i)

66Guam*(t)

69CNMI* **U

72Puerto Rico*

78U.S. Virgin Islands*


Source:

Source: The Council of State Governments' survey of governors' offices, 2023.

Key:

* Responses carried forward due to state nonresponse.
** Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
No provisions or procedures.
Formal provisions or procedures.
No formal provisions, occurs informally.
U Unspecified amount.

Footnotes:

(a)

Varies.

(b)

Section 14.057, Florida Statute provides: Governor-elect; establishment of operating fund.— (1) There is established an operating fund for the use of the Governor-elect during the period dating from the certification of his or her election by the Elections Canvassing Commission to his or her inauguration as Governor. The Governor-elect during this period may allocate the fund to travel, expenses, his or her salary, and the salaries of the Governor-elect’s staff as he or she determines. Such staff may include, but not be limited to, a chief administrative assistant, a legal adviser, a fiscal expert, and a public relations and information adviser. The salary of the Governor-elect and each member of the Governor-elect’s staff during this period shall be determined by the Governor-elect, except that the total expenditures chargeable to the state under this section, including salaries, shall not exceed the amount appropriated to the operating fund. The Executive Office of the Governor shall supply to the Governor-elect suitable forms to provide for the expenditure of the fund and suitable forms to provide for the reporting of all expenditures therefrom. The Chief Financial Officer shall release moneys from this fund upon the request of the Governor-elect properly filed.

(c)

Transition funds are used by both the incoming and outgoing administrations.

(d)

Amount to be determined.

(e)

In the fiscal year of a gubernatorial election and subject to availability of funds, the commissioner shall transfer up to $162,000 from the general contingent account in the general fund to the Department of Mangement and Budget.

(f)

Miss. Code Ann.§ 7-1-101 provides as follows: the governor’s office of general services shall provide a governor-elect with office space and office equipment for the period between the election and inauguration. A special appropriation to the governor’s office of general services is hereby authorized to defray the expenses of providing necessary staff employees and for the operation of the office of governor-elect during the period between the election and inauguration. The department of finance and administration shall make available to a governor-elect and his designated representatives information on the following: (a) all information and reports used in the preparation of the budget report; and (b) all information and reports on projected income and revenue estimates for the state.

(g)

Activity is traditional and routine, although there is no specific statutory provision.

(h)

Determined every 4 years.

(i)

Can submit reprogramming or supplemental appropriation measure for current fiscal year.

(j)

$250,000 line item – necessary services and facilities.

(k)

Legislature required to make appropriation; no dollar amount stated in legislation.

(l)

Governor receives $80,000 and lieutenant governor receives $10,000.

(m)

Responsible for submitting budget for coming biennium.

(n)

Governor usually hires several incoming key staff during transition.

(o)

Determined in budget.

(p)

Appropriated by legislature at the time of transition.

(q)

Governor-elect entitled to 70% of Governor’s salary.

(t)

Appropriations given upon the request of governor-elect.

(v)

Typically the appropriation is included in the budget but may fluctuate in size.

(x)

Subject to records retention and archival requirements.

(w)

Also makes other provisions re:staffing, offices, etc.