HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2639        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3207

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John J. Binienda

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to establishing a searchable website of state expenditures.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2639        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3207

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2959 OF 2009-2010.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act relative to establishing a searchable website of state expenditures.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 7 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after Section 3 the following:

Section 3 1/2:  As used in this section:

“Searchable website” means a website that allows the public to search and aggregate information described in subsection (c) at no cost; and

“Expenditure of state funds” means the expenditure or transfer of any state appropriated or non-appropriated by any department, agency, office, or entity of state government in forms including but not limited to:

Grants; Contracts; Subcontracts;Purchase orders; and Expenditures from Reserve Fund

“Expenditure of state funds” does not include the transfer of funds between two departments, agencies, offices, or entities of state government, nor does it include the transfer of state or federal assistance payments to an individual recipient/beneficiary of such assistance payments.

No later than January 1, 2010,  the Executive Office for Administration and Finance shall develop and operate a single website, accessible by the public at no cost, that includes:

For each expenditure of state funds, information including, but not limited to:

Name and municipality of the mailing address of the entity and/or recipients of the funds;

Amount of expenditure;

Type of transaction;

Identity of the department, agency, office, or entity of state government making the expenditure;

Budget program source for the expenditure;

Any other information deemed relevant by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

The ability of the user to view information on the website in a format that is searchable and that may be downloaded and managed by the user with appropriate software; and

The ability of users to provide input to the department regarding the utility of the site and recommendations for improvements.

The website shall include information for fiscal year 2009 no later than January 1, 2010; and thereafter, the website shall include information for the most recently completed fiscal year by September 30th of each year.

All departments, agencies, and entities of state government shall fully cooperate with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance in compiling and providing all information necessary to comply with the requirements of this section.

Nothing in this section shall require disclosure of information deemed confidential by state or federal law.

This act shall take effect upon becoming law.