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Local Government Fiscal Assistance Amendments of 1983

Public Law 98-185 · H.R. 2780 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 30, 1983 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Theodore Weiss (D-NY-17)

Cosponsors (24): Rep. John Conyers,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Local Government Fiscal Assistance Amendments of 1983 - Extends the general revenue sharing program through FY 1986.

Eliminates authorization for the States' share of revenue sharing.

Extends permanently the provisions which allow for a State variation of local government allocations.

Revises the intrastate allocation formula to disregard a reduction in a local government's adjusted taxes if: (1) the reduction is caused by a specific economic dislocation; and (2) the reduction would mean a decrease of 20 percent or more in the government's allocation.

Reduces from two to one the number of public hearings a recipient government must hold on its proposals for use of revenue sharing funds.

Provides that discrimination proceedings must begin when a local government receives a notice of discrimination complaints (currently, such proceedings begin when the notice is issued).

Requires governments receiving $100,000 or more per year in revenue sharing to obtain annual audits, or biennial audits covering both years for governments operating on a two-year fiscal period. Requires governments receiving between $25,000 and $100,000 to obtain an audit at least once every three years. Requires that such audits must be conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General and must be made available for public inspection not later than 30 days following completion of the audit.

Makes various technical amendments relating to the general revenue sharing program.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study: (1) factors used in current allocation formulas for revenue sharing and possible alternatives; (2) the long-term outlooks for the fiscal condition and fiscal capacity of Federal, State, and local governments; (3) the concept of returning revenue sources to State and local governments along with responsibility for certain programs; (4) the impacts of the cyclical nature of the economy and other factors on the capacities of Federal, State, and local governments; (5) the responsiveness of the distribution of Federal assistance to State and local governments' fiscal capacities and need for services; (6) the mathematical forms, data, and administration of Federal grant formulas; and (7) the impact of modifying the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the deductibility of State and local taxes, and tax exempt status of certain State and local securities.

Declares that, for the purposes of allocating funds among local governments within Massachusetts for the entitlement period beginning October 1, 1983, the adjusted taxes of those governments shall include property taxes levied for the State's 1982 fiscal year and recognized as FY 1982 receipts under Massachusetts General Laws.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.

  1. Nov 30, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-185.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 18, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 17, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  8. Nov 15, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-550 Filed in House.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-550 Filed in House.
  10. Nov 9, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference held.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conference held.
  12. Nov 3, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference held.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conference held.
  14. Sep 29, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Brooks, Weiss, Conyers, Levin, MacKay, Towns, Horton, Walker, McCandless.
  15. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  16. Sep 21, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendments, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Dole; Danforth; Heinz; Durenberger; Long; Bentsen; Mitchell.
  17. FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1426 with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 87-6. Record Vote No: 262.Senate roll call 262
  18. Aug 2, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 381 - 35 (Record Vote No: 312).House roll call 312
  19. FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
  20. May 16, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  21. May 11, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  22. Apr 27, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  23. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.