Public To Be Able to Examine State Checkbook under McSweeney Bill

From State Rep. David McSweeney:

IL House Approves Rep. McSweeney’s Measure Requiring the Comptroller to Maintain a Detailed Online Checkbook

Springfield, IL – The Illinois House unanimously approved a measure State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) sponsored to bring more transparency to how state government is spending money. 

“When the online Ledger was first created, it was intended to usher in a new era of financial transparency,” Rep. McSweeney said.

“This legislation furthers that goal by requiring a detailed online financial database to provide taxpayers with access to, and the ability to scrutinize, state financial information.”

House Bill 313 directs the Illinois Comptroller to maintain a more detailed online repository of the State’s financial transactions, including expenditure amounts, dates of the expenditure, the vendor being paid, the agency making the payment, the salary of each employee, and, to the extent possible, graphical data.

This legislation requires by law a set of detailed data that will be available to the taxpayers to not only see how much total money is being spent, but which individual employees and contractors are getting the money.

Comptroller Mendoza’s office currently makes this detailed information available to taxpayers online, but it has been never required in statute.

Rep. McSweeney worked closely with the Comptroller’s office to ensure the practice is codified and continues under future officeholders.

“I appreciate the work of Comptroller Mendoza and her efforts to be open with taxpayer money; HB 313 guarantees that this information will continue to be available in the future,” Rep. McSweeney continued.

“A permanent, detailed online financial database of State transactions is the right move for fiscal transparency. Openness with the State’s spending practices leads to greater accountability.”

HB 313 passed the Illinois House on March 20th by a vote of 115-0-0. The measure now moves to the Illinois Senate where State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is the lead sponsor.


Comments

Public To Be Able to Examine State Checkbook under McSweeney Bill — 1 Comment

  1. Don’t we already have this with Adam Adrzejewski’s Open the books.com?

    But then again.

    McSweeney is a big blowhard .

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