Title: An act relating to creating a searchable budget database for state spending.

Brief Description: Creating a searchable budget database for state spending.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Morton, Sheldon, Hewitt, Carrell, Pflug, Swecker, Schoesler, Roach and Benton.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/31/08.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Staff: Steve Jones (786-7440)

Background: Under the State Budget and Accounting Act, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) maintains a comprehensive financial accounting and reporting system for all agencies of state government. This system accounts for all state agency revenues, expenditures, receipts, and disbursements, as well as statewide budget information. State expenditure data is also maintained by the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program (LEAP) Committee.

Summary of Bill: By January 1, 2009, OFM is directed to make publicly available a searchable state budget database web site that identifies the name and location of all private entities receiving state funds during the prior fiscal year, including corporations, associations, partnerships, grant recipients, contractors, labor organizations, and nonprofit organizations. The database does not include local governments and individual recipients of state assistance.

For each identified recipient of state funds, the database will identify the amount of funds, the funding agency, the purpose of the expenditure, the revenue source, and any relevant performance measures or state audits.

The database must be updated at least annually, and previous fiscal years may be added to the database as available resources allow.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The public's business should be made more accessible and visible by making budget and expenditure data available to the public via the Internet. Public websites to increase budget transparency are being created in many states. There is strong bipartisan support for this, and it can be done economically. Such a database should include information on performance measures and recipients of state contracts and grants.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Val Stevens, prime sponsor; Brian Sonntag, State Auditor, Jason Mercier, Washington Policy Center; Arne Walker, Family Policy Institute of Washington; Bob Williams, Evergreen Freedom Foundation.