TITLE: Relating to the creation of county databases containing information on county expenditures.

SUMMARY: Relating to the creation of county databases containing information on county expenditures.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the creation of county databases containing information on county expenditures. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the Transparency in Local Government Act. SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 112, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 112.011 to read as follows: Sec. 112.011. SEARCHABLE COUNTY EXPENDITURE DATABASE. (a) This section applies to a county with a population of 45,000 or more. (b) The commissioners court of a county shall establish and post on the Internet a database of county expenditures that is electronically searchable by the public except as provided by Subsection (d). The database must include: (1) the amount, date, payor, and payee of expenditures; and (2) a listing of county expenditures by: (A) object of expense with links to the warrant or check register level; and (B) to the extent maintained by county accounting systems in a reportable format, class and item levels. (c) To the extent possible, the county shall present information in the database established under this section in a manner that is searchable and intuitive to users. The county shall enhance and organize the presentation of the information through the use of graphical representations, such as pie charts, as the county considers appropriate. At a minimum, the database must allow users to: (1) search and aggregate county funding by any element of the information; (2) ascertain through a single search the total amount of county funding awarded to a person by the county; and (3) download information yielded by a search of the database. (d) The county may not allow public access under this section to a payee's address, except that the county may allow public access under this section to information identifying the county in which the payee is located. (e) The county may not charge a fee to the public to access the database. SECTION 3. Section 112.011, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to expenditures made on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.