SB543: Bill Text

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2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Senate BILL 543

February 28, 2008 - Introduced by Senators Lazich and Darling, cosponsored by Representatives F. Lasee and Musser. Referred to Committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations.

SB543,1,3 An Act to create 16.413 of the statutes; relating to: providing the public with information on expenditures made by state agencies and state agency contracts and grants.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

The bill provides that, beginning on July 1, 2009, the Department of Administration (DOA) must ensure that all state agency expenditures, including salaries and fringe benefits paid to state agency employees, are available for inspection on a searchable Internet Web site maintained by DOA. Under the bill, DOA must categorize expenditure information on the Web site by state agency and expenditure category. Within each category, DOA must show the amount and purpose of each expenditure exceeding $100 and the person to whom the expenditure is made.

The bill further provides that, beginning on July 1, 2009, DOA must ensure that all of the following information relating to state agency grants and contracts is available for inspection on an Internet Web site: a copy of the contract and grant award; the state agency making the grant or entering into the contract; the name and address of the person receiving the grant or entering into the contract; the purpose of the grant or contract; the amount of the grant or the amount the state agency must expend under the contract; and the name of the state fund from which the grant is paid or moneys are expended under the contract. Under the bill, state agencies must make the information available to DOA that is required to be posted on the Internet Web site no later than 24 hours after an expenditure is made or an agency makes a grant or enters into a contract.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB543, s. 1 Section 1. 16.413 of the statutes is created to read:

SB543,2,3 16.413 Disclosure of expenditures made by state agencies and state agency contracts and grants. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB543,2,7 (a) "Financial instrument" includes any check, draft, warrant, money order, note, certificate of deposit, letter of credit, bill of exchange, credit or credit card, transaction authorization mechanism, marketable security, and any computer representation of them.

SB543,2,10 (b) "Grant" means a payment made to a person, other than aids to individuals and organizations and local assistance and the payment of salaries and fringe benefits for state employees.

SB543,2,12 (c) "Searchable Internet Web site" means a Web site that allows any person to search for all of the following:

SB543,2,14 1. State aggregate expenditures for each state agency and each division thereof, shown for each expenditure category.

SB543,2,16 2. Within each expenditure category, the amount and purpose of each expenditure exceeding $100 and the person to whom the expenditure was made.

SB543,2,17 3. Grants made by state agencies and contracts entered into by state agencies.

SB543,2,18 (d) "State agency" has the meaning given in s. 20.001 (1).

SB543,3,4 (2) State agency expenditures for state operations. (a) Beginning on July 1, 2009, the department shall ensure that all expenditures made by state agencies, including salaries and fringe benefits paid to state agency employees, are available for inspection on a user-friendly, searchable Internet Web site maintained by the department. Copies of each financial instrument relating to any of these expenditures exceeding $100, other than payments relating to state employee salaries, shall be available for inspection on the Internet Web site.

SB543,3,10 (b) The department shall categorize the expenditure information under par. (a) by state agency and expenditure category. For each expenditure exceeding $100, the department shall show the expenditure amount and purpose and the person to whom the expenditure is made. If any of the expenditure information may be found on other Web sites, the department shall ensure that the information is accessible through the Internet Web site under par. (a).

SB543,3,14 (c) Beginning with expenditures made on July 1, 2009, state agencies shall provide the department with all expenditure information required under pars. (a) and (b) no later than 24 hours after each expenditure is made. The department may specify the format in which state agencies provide the expenditure information.

SB543,3,18 (3) State agency contracts and grants. (a) Beginning on July 1, 2009, the department shall ensure that all of the following information relating to each grant made by a state agency or contract entered into by a state agency is available for inspection on a searchable Internet Web site maintained by the department:

SB543,3,19 1. A copy of the contract and grant award.

SB543,3,20 2. The state agency making the grant or entering into the contract.

SB543,3,22 3. The name and address of the person receiving the grant or entering into the contract.

SB543,3,23 4. The purpose of the grant or contract.

SB543,4,3 5. The amount of the grant or the amount the state agency must expend under the contract and the name of the state fund from which the grant is paid or moneys are expended under the contract.

SB543,4,10 (b) Beginning with grants made and contracts entered into by state agencies on July 1, 2009, state agencies shall provide the department with all of the information required under par. (a) no later than 24 hours after the state agency makes a grant or enters into a contract. The department may specify the format in which state agencies provide the information. The department shall make the information available on the searchable Internet Web site maintained under sub. (2) (a).

SB543,4,12 (4) The department shall update all information posted on the Internet under this section on a daily basis.

SB543,4,13 (End)