Other transparency resources

 

Alabama

Alabama Public Records Law

Alabama State Statute

Open Government Guide

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Alaska

Database for state grants given to cities and towns

SB 201, sponsored by Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), would require the creation of a searchable website detailing information on state revenues and expenditures higher than $10,000, including, but not limited to, grants and contracts.

Alaska Public Records Act

State Statute (Sec. 40.25.110)

Open Government Guide

Database for state grants given to cities and towns

Checkbook Online

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Arizona

Goldwater Institute’s Open Government Project

SPIRIT eProcurement System

HCR 2040 seeks a constitutional amendment whichwould require the state treasurer and the treasurer of each county, city and town to establish and maintain an official website that contains a database of receipts and expenditures, including bond payments and debt service, compensation of state or local government employees, contractual services and cooperative agreements, commodities and capital outlay.

Arizona Public Records Law

Arizona Open Records Statute

Open Government Guide

SPIRIT eProcurement System

Goldwater Institute's Open Government Project

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Arkansas

Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

Arkansas FOIA procedures

Open Government Guide

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California

California Public Records Act

Open Government Guide

Brown Act

Benicia Sunshine Ordinance

Berkeley Sunshine Ordinance (Draft)

Contra Costa County Sunshine Ordinance

Milpitas Open Government Ordinance

Oakland Sunshine Ordinance

Riverside Open Government Provisions

San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance

Vallejo Sunshine Ordinance

Los Angeles Employee Salary Database

City of San Jose Employee Compensation

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Colorado

Colorado Open Records Act (24-72-201 through 24-72-206)

Open Government Guide

Shakedown Colorado

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Connecticut

State Contracting Portal

Connecticut Freedom of Information Act

Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission

Connecticut Foundation for Open Government

Open Government Guide

State Contracting Portal

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Delaware

SB 184 requires the creation of a searchable budget database website to allow taxpayers to access details of how their tax dollars are being spent.

SB 185 requires the creation and maintenance of a searchable website for contracts entered into by school districts and charter schools.

SB 186 requires each school district and charter school to post its checking account activity (other than payroll checks) on its website. It also requires pay and benefits to be posted by job title at the beginning of each fiscal year.

SB 187 requires each state agency to post its checking account activity (other than payroll checks) on its website. It also requires pay and benefits to be posted by job title at the beginning of each fiscal year.

SB 188 requires information concerning the distributions from the Delaware Strategic Fund to be posted on the Delaware Economic Development Office's website.

Open Government Guide

Delaware Open Records Statute

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Florida

HB 181 sponsored by Rep. Gayle Harrell (R-Port St Lucie), would mandate the creation of a website for government expenditures, while at the same time requiring localities to disclose their expenditures online.

SB 392 is a similar companion bill, sponsored by Sen. Ronda Storms (R-Brandon)

On January 3, 2007, Gov. Charlie Crist (R) issued Executive Order 07-01, creating the "Office of Open Government" charged with providing the Office of the Governor and each of the executive agencies under his purview with the guidance and tools to serve Florida with integrity and transparency.

  • Primary functions: (1) to assure full and expeditious compliance with Florida's open government/public records laws, (2) to provide training to all executive agencies on transparency and accountability.
  • The Office will also have primary responsibility for ensuring that the Office of the Governor complies with public records requests in an expeditious manner.

On June 19, Gov. Crist issued Executive Order Number 07-107, appointing the nine-member Commission on Open Government to review and evaluate the public's right of access to government meetings and records.

On November 15, the governor issued Executive Order 07-242, which requires each agency to post on their website an Open Government Bill of Rights to facilitate easier access to public documents and meetings.

Additionally, per Gov. Crist's request, state agency websites will be linking to a website that will facilitate the process of accessing these documents. Gov. Crist subsequently announced a new partnership between the State of Florida and Google Inc.

Florida Open Records Statute

Open Government Guide

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Georgia

Transparent Government Initiative

State Statute (Go to 50-18(4)-70)

Open Government Guide

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Hawaii

HB 122, sponsored by Rep. Marcus Oshiro requires the department of budget and finance to create and maintain a free, single website disclosing relevant information on state grants and contracts. The bill has a $25,000 threshold for disclosure, and before 2009 does not include credit card transactions.

Both houses passed a version of the bill that was agreed on in a conference committee on May 1, 2007. The bill became law without Gov. Linda Lingle's (R) signature.

State Statute

Open Government Guide to Hawaii

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Idaho

State Statute

Open Government Guide to Idaho

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Illinois

Sam Adams Alliance

Illinois Contract Database

Appropriation Inquiries Database

While H.B. 473, the Funding Accountability and Transparency Act did not pass the state legislature in 2007, State Comptroller Dan Hynes (D) in October 2007 unveiled a website that allows taxpayers to track political contributions made by companies that have state contracts.

Taxpayers can go to www.OpenBook.ioc.state.il.us, and enter the name or partial name of the entity that conducts business with the state. The result page will then allow a side by side analysis of the contract and contribution information. The website complements a state contracts database on the comptroller's website and an appropriation inquiries database that allows searches for budget expenditures by certain categories.

Better Government Association

The Illinois Open Records State Statute

Open Government Guide

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Indiana

Indiana Public Search for Contracts

Indiana Metro and State Salary Database

Better Government Association - Public employee salaries

Indiana Open Records Statute

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Iowa

Department of Administration Procurement Services Contract Search

State Employee Salaries, Legislative Services Agency

State Employee Salaries, Legislative Services Agency

Iowa State Salary Database

Iowa Open Records Statute

Open Government Guide to Iowa

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Kansas

Procurement Contracts Listing

HB 2457, the Taxpayer Transparency Act sponsored by Rep. Kasha Kelley (R-Arkansas City), mandates the creation of a website that will disclose comprehensive state revenue and expenditure information, including annual expenditures such as disbursements by state agencies from funds in the state treasury, salaries and wages including compensation paid to individual state employees, contractual services, capital outlays and commodities including amounts paid to individual vendors.

The website will be up and running by March 1, 2008.

KanView - State expenditures listing

Kansas Open Records Statute (Search for statute 45-215, then use the "next" button to page through to 45-223.)

Open Government Guide

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Kentucky

State Employee Salaries, Lexington Herald-Leader database

HB 105, sponsored by Rep. Jim DeCesare (R-Bowling Green), would mandate the creation of a single, searchable website containing identifying information about state treasury expenditures and transfers in excess of $5000. This includes, but is not limited to, grants and contracts.

Kentucky Open Records Statute (Go to section 870)

Guide to Open Government for Kentucky

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Louisiana

Louisiana Infrastructure Information Center

Louisiana School Spending

Louisiana Open Records Statute

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Maine

Maine Heritage Policy Center

Maine Open Records Statute

Open Government Guide to Maine

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Maryland

Department of Budget and Management Contract Library

State Statute (10-611 through 10-628)

Open Government Guide

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Massachusetts

CommPass, Procurement Access and Solitication System

State Employee Salaries, Boston Herald database

State Statute

Open Government Guide to Massachusett's open records legislation

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Michigan

State Employee Salaries, Lansing State Journal database

Teacher Pay

Michigan Open Records Statute

Open Government Guide to Michigan's Open Records legislation

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Minnesota

HF 376 sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Eden Prairie) initially had no dollar threshold for disclosure and would have required retroactive disclosure of grants and contracts going back to FY2000.

The bill was included in the omnibus state government finance bill which passed the legislature and was sent to Gov. Pawlenty on May 4th. Gov. Pawlenty's only line-item-vetoed two provisions of the omnibus, so that the transparency provision went into effect January 2008. The final version was modified to include a $25,000 minimum threshold for disclosure.

State Statute

Minnesota Data Practices Act

Open Government Guide to Minnesota

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Mississippi

State Statute go to 25-61-1

Open Government Guide to Mississippi

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Missouri

Office of Administration Contract Public Records Search

On July 11, 2007 Gov. Matt Blunt (R) signed Executive Order 7-24 creating the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP). MAP can be accessed at: http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov, and allows taxpayers to search expenditures both by broad categories and by specific businesses and individuals.

Since October 1, 2007, MAP also includes information on tax credits, and since January 1, 2008, taxpayers can access information on state employee salaries on the website.

State Statute start at 610.023

Missouri Sunshine Law

Better Government Association

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Montana

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Nebraska

Public Accounts State And Local Budget Databases (municipalities, counties, and school districts)

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Nevada

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New Hampshire

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New Jersey

State Employee Salaries, Asbury Park Press database

S445, the Transparency in Government Act sponsored by Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris), mandates the creation of a website that will disclose comprehensive state revenue and expenditure information, including annual expenditures such as disbursements by state agencies from funds in the state treasury, salaries and wages including compensation paid to individual state employees, contractual services, capital outlays and commodities including amounts paid to individual vendors.

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New Mexico

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New York

SeeThroughNY.net - Empire Center for New York State Policy

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) in December launched "Project Sunlight", a website that provides information on many state government activities, including government contracts and expenditure categories.

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North Carolina

State Auditor Grant Reporting

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North Dakota

State Procurement Online Agency Center

School transparency website

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Ohio

State of Ohio Procurement Website

HB 420, sponsored by Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Mount Lookout) would mandate the creation of a website detailing information about state awards including, but not limited to grants and contracts.

It would furthermore require that the office of budget and management shall establish a searchable website for earmarks and would provide for increased transparency in state real property tax management. Agency management standards and performance measures would also be implemented under this bill.

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Oklahoma

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Brandon Dutcher, vice president for policy at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, immediately after passage of the federal legislation began beating the drum for an Oklahoma spending website modeled after the federal version.

Taxpayer Protection Caucus Chair Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso) sponsored SB 1 which requires the creation of a website, detailing relevant information on government grants, contracts, subcontracts, tax refunds, rebates or credits, and expenditures from the Constitutional Reserve Fund. The website launched on December 28, 2007 and is accessible at www.openbooks.ok.gov

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Oregon

State Employee Salaries, Statesman Journal database

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Pennsylvania

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Rhode Island

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South Carolina

State Employee Salaries, The State database

In what could complement Gov. Sanford's executive order to create a website for government expenditures, specifically focusing on earmark disclosure. H 4356 / S.896, the Appropriations Bill Earmark Disclosure Act would require the submission of more detailed information on earmark request forms. It furthermore stipulates that a copy of any earmark request must be published on the General Assembly's website within three business days of filing.

On August 30, 2007 Gov. Mark Sanford (R) issued Executive Order 2007-14, mandating the creation of a single searchable website for state expenditures including, but not limited to, grants, contracts and subcontracts.

Furthermore, each agency is required to establish a searchable website on its own webpage for specific agency expenditures, such as travel, office supplies and contractual expenditures of $100 and over.

Both requirements are to be met no later than March 1, 2008.

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South Dakota

HB 1233, sponsored by Rep. Hal Wick (R-Sioux Falls), comprehensive state expenditure information, including disbursements by state agencies from funds in the state treasury, bond debt payments, salaries and wages including compensation paid to individual state employees, contractual services, capital outlays and commodities including amounts paid to individual vendors.

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Tennessee

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Texas

HB3430, sponsored by Rep. Mark Strama (D-Austin) passed the legislature unanimously (house vote on 4/30/2007 , senate vote on 5/23/07), and was signed into law by Gov. Perry on June 15, 2007.

HB 3430 mandates the creation of a searchable database for state expenditures including grants and contracts. Taxpayers would be able to access, search, aggregate and download all relevant information free of charge. In addition, each state agency that maintains a generally accessible Internet site, shall include a link on the agency's Internet site to the database.

The bill is a merged version of the following individual bills:

  • HB42 by Rep. Ken Paxton (R-McKinney) would create a database of all state contracts.
  • HB640 by Rep. Bryan Hughes (R-Minneola) would require the online posting of expenditures by state agencies.
  • HB1007 by Rep. Corbin van Arsdale (R-Tomball) would require the online disclosure of state grant information.

Gov. Rick Perry (R) made government spending transparency a component of his “Five-Point Budget Reform Plan” and, at the end of January 2007, proposed requiring all state agencies to publish expenditures online in a clear and consistent format.

To lead by example, the governor has made his office's expenditures available to view online: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/expenditure/

State Comptroller Susan Combs (R) not only posted her office's expenditure information online, but also the information for numerous agencies.

In June, Comptroller Combs expanded disclosure by creating a separate website called Where the Money Goes – providing a user-friendly web portal, which was formally launched in October of 2007.

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Utah

State Cooperative Contract Search

SB 38, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser (R-Sandy), mandates the creation a single searchable website for government expenditures.

Specifically, it would apply to all government branches of the state, including departments, colleges and universities as well as counties, cities and school districts with budgets of $1 million or more. It would provide access to public financial information such as monies, funds, accounts, bonds, loans, revenues, and expenditures including those made under a contract with access to the actual contract. The bill furthermore provides for the creation of a Utah Transparency Advisory board, which will be tasked with making sure that private records stay private.

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Vermont

State Employee Salaries, Burlington Free Press database

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Virginia

Commonwealth Datapoint

eVA - State Contracts

SB 585, sponsored by Virginia Taxpayer Protection Caucus Chair Ken Cuccinelli would create a searchable budget database for government expenditures with detailed information and links to the actual expenditure document.

Virginia currently has a website for government expenditures at http://datapoint.apa.virginia.gov/ . While that website already goes beyond what many other states are doing to inform constituents about how government spends tax dollars, Sen. Cuccinelli's legislation would provide for a greater level of detail in online disclosure.

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Washington

Evergreen Freedom Foundation: Performance Audits

OFM: State Government Performance and Results

Advanced Contract Search

SB 6387, sponsored by Sen. Val Stevens (R-Arlington), would require the creation of a comprehensive single searchable budget database for government expenditures. The database would show the amount received, the funding source and exactly what performance is expected in return. In addition, it would show all state audits of past performance.

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West Virginia

State Agency Grant Awards

State Employee Salaries, Herald-Dispatch database

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Wisconsin

Contract Sunshine

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Wyoming

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