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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2009
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Senate Passes Fiscal Forecasting Reform Measure

Senate Also Passes Bill Requiring Salaries to be Posted Online

The State Senate approved legislation intended to fundamentally reform the state's budgeting process as part of their deliberations during the week of July 13th, according to Senator Jane C. Orie (R-40).

Senate Bill 1, cosponsored by Senator Orie, would establish a non-partisan, bi-cameral agency -- the Legislative Fiscal Office -- which would be charged with setting accurate revenue estimates for the General Assembly as it develops a state budget.

Currently, the Governor's Budget Office has one set of budget numbers while each of the four legislative caucuses -- Senate Republicans and Democrats and House Republicans and Democrats -- work off different sets of figures.  The office would have access to the same fiscal information that is provided to the Governor's Budget Office.  Of key importance is the language requiring an LFO binding revenue estimate by June 15th for the coming Fiscal Year.  Currently, the Governor sets a revenue estimate for the coming year but more than two weeks into the Fiscal Year one has yet to be announced.

"We need to have one bipartisan budget office which everyone has access to," said Sen. Orie.  "This proposal -- which would increase transparency and accountability in state government -- is one of the Senate Republicans' top priorities this year."

Other measures approved during the session week of July 13^th include:

Senate Bill 107, cosponsored by Sen. Orie, would require the State Treasurer to post all executive, legislative and judicial branch employees' salaries on the Internet.

"In a new age of openness and transparency, it is important that salary information be disclosed," said Sen. Orie.

Senate Bill 896, cosponsored by Senator Orie, would require lobbyist disclosure filings to be posted on the Department of State website within seven days of receipt.

Senate Resolution 142 directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a study and cost analysis of the implementation of a statewide blighted property database.  The database could give municipalities the ability to identify owners of blighted property in other parts of the state.  The database could be used to deny local permits for property if an individual has a record of owning blighted properties as well as a history of not maintaining those properties.

House Bill 703 amends the Landscape Architects' Registration Law by increasing the continuing education requirement from 10 to 24 hours in each 2-year license period.

The Senate Bills now proceed to the House of Representatives for consideration.  HB 703 was sent to the Governor and signed into law (now Act 24 of 2009).

CONTACT:

Nate Silcox
(717) 787-6538