An Act To Promote Fiscal Transparency in State Government
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0181
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: O'CONNOR, BENNETT, GIFFORD, HARVELL, LIBBY, OLSEN, PARKER, PARRY, SIROCKI
Amends: 5 MRSA §282-B, 5 MRSA §1973

Legislative Document 
No. 181 
H.P. 158 
House of Representatives, January 27, 2011 
An Act To Promote Fiscal Transparency in State Government 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative O'CONNOR of Berwick. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BENNETT of Kennebunk, GIFFORD of Lincoln, 
HARVELL of Farmington, LIBBY of Waterboro, OLSEN of Phippsburg, PARKER of Veazie, 
PARRY of Arundel, SIROCKI of Scarborough. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §282-B is enacted to read: 
§282-B.  Commissioner to provide access to information on state revenues, 
expenditures and bond proceeds 
1.  Information.  The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall 
develop and maintain a single, searchable, publicly accessible website that contains 
information on state revenues, expenditures and bond proceeds. The commissioner shall 
provide access to the information at no cost to the public.  The revenue information must 
be presented in the same level of detail and format as the data prepared by the Revenue 
Forecasting Committee established pursuant to section 1710-E.  The expenditure 
information must be clearly labeled to identify the fiscal year and fund source and must 
include the following: 
A.  The state agency and program that provided the funding; 
B.  The legal name and principal location of the individual or entity that received 
state funds; 
C.  The amount of state funds expended; and 
D.  A description of the purpose of the expenditure. 
All state agencies shall assist the commissioner in providing the financial information 
required by this subsection. 
2.  Immunity.  The State and all of its employees are immune from criminal penalties 
and civil liability to the extent provided in Title 14, chapter 741 for any acts, errors and 
omissions related to the dissemination of the financial information required by this 
section. 
3.  Confidentiality.  Nothing in this section requires the disclosure of information 
that is confidential pursuant to state or federal law, rule or regulation. 
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §1973, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. SS, §11, 
is further amended to read: 
E.    Facilitate research and development activities to identify and establish effective 
information technology service delivery in State Government; and 
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §1973, sub-§1, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. SS, §11, is 
amended to read: 
F.    Facilitate interjurisdictional collaboration, services, sharing and initiatives 
among agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions of State Government and 
with other states and the Federal Government.; and 
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §1973, sub-§1, ¶G is enacted to read: 
G.  Assist the commissioner in developing policies and procedures concerning the 
publicly accessible website that provides free public access to the State’s revenue, 
expenditure and bond proceeds data as required by section 282-B in a manner 
consistent with state and federal laws, rules and regulations. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to 
develop and maintain a single, searchable, publicly accessible website that contains 
information on state revenues, expenditures and bond proceeds.  It requires the Chief 
Information Officer to assist the commissioner in developing policies and procedures 
concerning the single website in a manner consistent with state and federal laws, rules 
and regulations.  This bill also provides state employees with immunity from criminal 
penalties and civil liability for any acts, errors or omissions related to the dissemination 
of this financial information.