Bill > A103

This bill, known as the "Transparency in Government Act," mandates the creation of a single, searchable public finance website for the State of New Jersey, accessible to the public without charge. The website, to be designed and maintained by the State Treasurer in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer (the Governor's appointee responsible for the Office of Information Technology) and a newly established Public Finance Transparency Committee, will display comprehensive data on state revenues, expenditures, and bonded indebtedness from fiscal year 2000 onwards. This includes details on agency disbursements, bond debt services, employee compensation, vendor payments for goods and services, aid to local governments, various revenue sources like taxes and agency earnings, and specifics of state bonded debt such as original amounts, terms, repayment sources, and remaining balances. The website must be updated with data from the central accounting and state payroll systems within 45 days of the end of each fiscal year, and all state agencies are required to cooperate in compiling this information, with the exception of data deemed private or confidential by law. The Public Finance Transparency Committee, composed of state officials and public members, will advise on the website's content, format, and accessibility, and will issue an annual report on its progress and public feedback. The website's accessibility requirement will take effect on the first business day of the seventh month after the bill is enacted.