Kansas Transparency Legislation Alive and Kicking

State Representative Kasha Kelley's Taxpayer Transparency Act, a bill that would require the secretary of administration to create a website which would allow taxpayers to track government expenditures and revenues, is still alive and kicking.

The bill had passed the house at an overwhelming margin of 102-20 on February 22nd, but had been double-referrred in the state senate - with no real prospects of passing.

However, thanks to the leadership of Taxpayer Protection Caucus Chair Sen. Tim Huelskamp, the bill was attached in its entirety to the principal senate budget bill for next fiscal year at a vote of 23 to 17.

Under the bill, the website to be set up by March 1, 2008 would disclose state and local revenue and expenditure information, including annual expenditures such as disbursements by state agencies from funds in the state treasury, salaries and wages including compensation paid to individual state employees, contractual services, capital outlay and commodities including amounts paid to individual vendors.

ATR had named Rep. Kelley "Friend of the Taxpayer" earlier this month.
3/9/07 Kansas: Let The Sunshine In! Rep. Kasha Kelley, sponsor of spending transparency legislation, named Friend of the Taxpayer