For Immediate Release
June 3, 2009
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Earll: Senate Approves Taxpayer Transparency Act

Legislation would expand public access to state spending records

Harrisburg -- The Senate has approved a measure co-sponsored by Sen. Jane Earll (R-49) to expand the public's access to state spending records. 

Senate Bill 105, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, would direct the Department of the Treasury to create and maintain a searchable budget database-driven website that the public can access, for free, to obtain: 

• Information on grants and contracts provided by government agencies.  All transactions above $25,000 would be accessible to the public. 
• Agency performance indicators and quarterly performance results compared to these indicators.
• Agency line-by-line appropriation analysis including user-friendly detailed monetary breakouts and detailed narrative descriptions.  

The legislation must be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by the governor to take effect.

"Technology has made it possible to move government documents out of the filing cabinets of government offices and onto the Internet where citizens can access and review them," said Earll. "The process of making state government more open and accountable is ongoing, and this is a big step toward providing citizens with the information they deserve to see." 

Constituents can learn more about how to access bills, laws, lobbyist reports and other government information online by clicking on the "Citizen Access Page" on Senator Earll's website, www.senatorearll.com. The bill text and status information are in the "Electronic Bill Room," also at www.senatorearll.com

CONTACT:

Senator Earll's office, (814) 453-2515 or jearll@pasen.gov