BILL NUMBER: SB 719	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senators Huff, DeSaulnier, Florez, and Hollingsworth
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members DeVore, Emmerson, Harkey, Jeffries,
Nestande, Nielsen, and Silva)

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to add Title 21 (commencing with Section 99600) to the
Government Code, relating to state government.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 719, as introduced, Huff. State agency Internet Web sites:
information.
   Existing law imposes specified duties on state agencies and
provides for public access to government records.
   This bill would require each state department and agency to
develop and operate a searchable Internet Web site accessible by the
public that includes specified information relating to expenditures
of state funds, defined to include, among other things, contracts,
grants, purchase orders, subcontracts, and tax refunds, rebates, and
credits.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Title 21 (commencing with Section 99600) is added to
the Government Code, to read:

      TITLE 21.  TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2009


   99600.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the Taxpayer
Transparency Act of 2009.
   99601.  The following definitions apply for purposes of this
title:
   (a) (1) "Expenditure of state funds" means the expenditure or
transfer of any state appropriated or nonappropriated funds in an
amount in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) by any department,
agency, office or entity of state government in the form of,
including, but not limited to, any of the following:
   (A) Contracts.
   (B) Expenditures from a reserve account for use in the event of
any revenue fluctuations.
   (C) Grants.
   (D) Purchase orders.
   (E) Subcontracts.
   (F) Tax refunds, rebates, and credits.
   (2) "Expenditure of state funds" shall not include the transfer of
funds between two departments, agencies, offices, or entities of
state government, or the transfer of state or federal assistance
payments to an individual recipient or beneficiary of those
assistance payments.
   (b) "Searchable Internet Web site" means an Internet Web site that
allows the public to search and aggregate information described in
Section 99602 and is accessible from any department's or agency's
homepage.
   99602.  (a) No later than July 1, 2010, with assistance from the
office of the State Chief Information Officer, the Department of
Finance, the Department of General Services, and the Governor's
office, each state department and agency shall develop and operate a
searchable Internet Web site, accessible by the public at no cost,
that includes all of the following:
   (1) For each expenditure of state funds, information including,
but not limited to, the following:
   (A) The name and principal location or residence of each entity or
other recipient of the funds.
   (B) The amount of expenditure.
   (C) The type of transaction.
   (D) The identity of the department, agency, office, or other
entity of state government making the expenditure.
   (E) The budget program source for the expenditure.
   (F) A description of the purpose of the expenditure.
   (G) A description of any item purchased pursuant to the
expenditure.
   (H) Any other information deemed relevant by the Department of
Finance, the office of the State Chief Information Officer, the
Department of General Services, and the Governor's office.
   (2) The ability of the user to view information on the searchable
Internet Web site in a format that is searchable and that may be
downloaded and managed by the user with appropriate software.
   (3) The ability of users to provide input to each respective
department or agency regarding the utility of the searchable Internet
Web site and recommendations for improvements to the searchable
Internet Web site.
   (b) The searchable Internet Web site shall include information for
the 2008-09 fiscal year no later than July 1, 2010, and thereafter,
the searchable Internet Web site shall be updated and shall include
information for the most recently completed month.
   (c) Each department, agency, and entity of state government shall
fully cooperate with the Department of Finance, the office of the
State Chief Information Officer, the Department of General Services,
and the Governor's office in compiling and providing all information
necessary to comply with the requirements of this section.
   (d) Nothing in this section requires disclosure of information
deemed confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under state
or federal law.