Senate bill on local government budget transparency moves through Committee

A Senate Committee reluctantly cleared a bill aiming to make local governments more transparent as some lawmakers warned it may be difficult for small and rural governments to enforce.

The Senate Community Affairs Committee passed SB 1566, which would require local governments to post budget details online, with a 7-1 vote Tuesday . 

Hearing the concerns, Sen. Nick DiCeglie said he was open to feedback to improve his bill as it headed to its second Committee stop.

“I’m very, very open to having those conversations moving forward,” said DiCeglie, a St. Petersburg Republican.

SB 1566 would require local governments to post their budgets online for the public to be able to read and analyze. 

The budget information would be ordered to stay online for five years, instead of two years.

Democratic Sen. Barbara Sharief warned said local counties are already publishing their budget information online but the bill’s added requirements were a financial burden on them. 

One municipal advocate also warned cities employing  only a handful of employees would also be hit hard from the new oversight requirements.

When asked if he would work with the counties DiCeglie answered, “Obviously, I’m curious to see what extra expense this would be. So I am always open to talking and communicating with the shareholders of every single (bill) I put my name on.”

The bill advanced by the Committee also addressed public utilities.

“A county shall reinvest utility service revenues back into the utility for purposes of operational integrity. Such investments may include building, maintaining, renovating, or otherwise improving the infrastructure of its utility facilities,” according to an amendment approved during the hearing. “The utility must, every five years, develop a budget forecast and strategies that ensure continuous maintenance, as well as strategic improvements to provide optimal service performance at consistent rates.”

In its original form, DiCeglie’s bill would have required governments to post employee salaries and employee travel expenses as well as allow Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia to fine local governments for violating the stricter transparency rules. However, that provision was removed with strike-all amendment approved Tuesday. The strike-all also nixed a provision banning local governments from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion.