HF 199

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:34am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; requiring a searchable database of state
expenditures; requiring transparency and openness in state and local government;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 16C.046.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 16C.046, is amended to read:

16C.046 WEB SITE; WITH SEARCHABLE DATABASE; ON STATE
CONTRACTS; GRANTS EXPENDITURES.

Subdivision 1.

Web site.

(a) The commissioner commissioners of administration,
finance, and revenue must maintain a Web site with a searchable database providing the
public with information on state expenditures, including tax expenditures.

Subd. 2.

Contracts.

(a) The Web site must include a searchable database of
contracts, including grant contracts. The database must include the following information
for each state contract valued in excess of $25,000:

(1) the name and address of the entity receiving the contract;

(2) the name of the agency entering into the contract;

(3) whether the contract is:

(i) for goods;

(ii) for professional or technical services;

(iii) for services other than professional and technical services; or

(iv) a grant;

(4) a brief statement of the purpose of the contract or grant;

(5) the amount of the contract or grant and the fund from which this amount will be
paid; and

(6) the dollar value of state contracts, other than grants, the entity has received in
each fiscal year and the dollar value of state grants the entity has received in each fiscal
year.

(b) Required information on a new contract or grant must be entered into the
database within 30 days of the time the contract is entered into.

(c) For purposes of this section, a "grant" is a contract between a state agency and
a recipient, the primary purpose of which is to transfer cash or a thing of value to the
recipient to support a public purpose. Grant does not include payments to units of local
government, payments to state employees, or payments made under laws providing for
assistance to individuals.

(d) The database must include information on grants and contracts entered into
beginning with fiscal year 2008 funds, and must retain that data for at least ten years.

Subd. 3.

Appropriations.

(a) The Web site must include a searchable database of
state appropriations. For each fiscal year, the database must include information for each
agency, agency program, and agency activity receiving a state appropriation. If a law
appropriates money for an item within an activity, the database must include information
on that item. The database must provide the following information:

(1) the name of the agency, program, activity, and item;

(2) the amount of the appropriation;

(3) the fund from which the appropriation is made; and

(4) the amount of the appropriation that has been spent each fiscal year for each
object of expenditure.

(b) The database must include information on appropriations made beginning with
fiscal year 2009, and must retain that data for at least ten years.

Subd. 4.

Tax expenditures.

The Web site must include a searchable database
of state tax expenditures. For each fiscal year, the database must include the estimated
impact on state revenues of each tax expenditure item listed in the report prepared under
section 270C.11. The database must include information on tax expenditures beginning
with fiscal year 2010, and must retain that data for at least ten years.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective July 1, 2009.