08 LC 18 7132S
(SCS)
Senate
Bill 300
By:
Senators Rogers of the 21st and Pearson of the 51st
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 6 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the Department of Audits and Accounts, so as to provide for the creation of
and maintenance by the department of a website which provides public access to
certain state expenditure information; to provide for a short title; to provide
for procedures, conditions, and limitations; to provide for powers, duties, and
authority of the Department of Audits and Accounts and the Department of
Revenue; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for
other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
6 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
Department of Audits and Accounts, is amended by adding a new Code section to
read as follows:
"50-6-32.
(a)
This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the 'Transparency in
Government Act.'
(b)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'Expenditure of state funds' means the expenditure of all appropriated or
nonappropriated funds by a state entity from the state treasury in forms
including, but not limited to:
(A)
Grants;
(B)
Contracts;
(C)
Subcontracts;
(D)
Tax refunds, rebates, or credits;
(E)
Payments made through economic and incentive programs operated by the Department
of Economic Development, the Department of Labor, the Department of Community
Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the Georgia Lottery Corporation;
and
(F)
Expenditures from the Revenue Shortfall Reserve.
(2)
'Expenditure of state funds' shall not mean the transfer of funds between two
state agencies or payments of state or federal assistance to an
individual.
(3)
'Searchable website' means a website that allows the public to search and
aggregate information identified in subsection (c) of this Code
section.
(c)
No later than January 1, 2010, the department shall develop and operate a
single, searchable website accessible at no cost by the public, that provides
information for each expenditure of state funds including, but not limited
to:
(1)
The name and principal location or residence of the entity or recipients of the
funds;
(2)
The amount of state funds expended;
(3)
The type of transaction;
(4)
The funding or expending agency;
(5)
The budget program source;
(6)
A descriptive purpose of the funding action or expenditure; and
(7)
Any other relevant information specified by the Department of Audits and
Accounts.
(d) The
searchable website provided for in this Code section shall include data for the
2010-2011 fiscal year as it becomes available and each fiscal year thereafter.
Such data shall be available on the searchable website no later than 30 days
after the last day of the preceding fiscal year.
(e)
All agencies of state government shall provide to the Department of Audits and
Accounts such information as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this
Code section.
(f) Nothing
in this Code section shall require the disclosure of information which is
considered confidential by state or federal law."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.