2015 -- S 0317 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC001281/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE - STATE BUDGET

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sheehan, Felag, DiPalma, Picard, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Government Oversight

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 35-3 of the General Laws entitled "State Budget" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     35-3-28. Legislative findings. -- (a) The general assembly finds that:

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     (1) The foundation of democracy is based on a government's accountability to its

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citizenry;

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     (2) Enhancing government transparency enhances the democratic process; and

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     (3) As such, state government has the responsibility to provide easily understandable and

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accessible information about the state's annual budget to its citizens.

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     (b) Citizens' guide to the state budget. – Beginning with the state fiscal year 2016 budget

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as enacted, the state budget office, with input from the secretary of state's office on the language,

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form and presentation used, shall produce an annual citizens' guide to the state budget revenue

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and expenditures. The citizens' guide shall be in a form and substance that is easily readable and

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understandable by the general public. The citizens' guide shall include data on each department's

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purpose and populations served; and where available, may include performance measures over

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time, depicted in a graphic format. The citizens' guide to the state budget shall be produced and

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released on the secretary of state's website no later than sixty (60) days after the public release of

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the annual state budget office "Budget as Enacted" report. The citizen's guide need only be

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prepared in an online or electronic format, and neither the state budget office nor the secretary of

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state's office shall be required to produce or distribute a paper or hard copy of the guide.

 

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE - STATE BUDGET

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     This act would require the state budget office to produce a citizens' guide to the state

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budget that is easily readable and understandable by the general public.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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