Bill > HB413

This bill establishes two separate government expenditure databases in Ohio: the Ohio State Government Expenditure Database and the Ohio Local Government Expenditure Database. The state database will track expenditures and revenues for state entities, including state retirement systems, with detailed requirements for reporting information such as the amount, date, supplier, and purpose of each transaction. Political subdivisions like counties, cities, villages, school districts, and public libraries will be required to participate in the local government database, which will similarly provide transparent, searchable, and publicly accessible financial information. The databases will include features like the ability to search, filter, and download data, and will prominently link from each participating entity's website. The bill explicitly protects entities from liability for inadvertently disclosing confidential information and appropriates $5 million to the Treasurer of State to create and maintain the "Ohio Checkbook" platform that will host these databases. The goal appears to be increasing government financial transparency by creating comprehensive, user-friendly public repositories of government spending and revenue information.

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https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb413