Legislation would post government expenses online

Legislation recently introduced in the state Senate would require all legislative expenses to be published online on a publicly accessible website to increase transparency.

The legislation would require the Chief Clerk of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, and the comptroller of the House of Representatives to post a quarterly list of all per diems and other expenses.

“In March 2020, I became the first and only Pennsylvania Senator to publish all of the expenses that I has approval over in a searchable format on my website,” state Sen. Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny), who introduced the bill, said. “This list is updated monthly. But it shouldn’t be up to individual senators or House members to make this decision. Legislative expenses are taxpayer dollars, and the public has a right to know how that money is being spent.”

Williams also introduced a resolution amending Rule 12 of the Financial Operating Rules of the Senate to require the Chief Clerk of the Senate to publically post expenses.

A majority vote in the Senate chamber is all that is needed to pass the resolution.

In addition, Williams is hosting an ongoing event series on her website to make the state government more accessible.