With all the bad news, I guess I should report on some good news. The Assembly passed the Earmark Transparency Act (AB 739) late last night on a voice vote. If it makes it thorugh the Senate and past Jim Doyle’s veto pen, it would:
– Prohibit state agencies from requesting earmarks when making their budget requests to the Department of Administration.
– Require the Legislative Fiscal Bureau to prepare an “Earmark Transparency Report”, including cost, location, beneficiary and sponsoring representative/senator, to be released to the public at least 48 hours before any action on a budget bill is taken by the Joint Finance Committee, the Assembly or the Senate.
– Prohibit a conference committee from “airdropping” earmarks or other non-fiscal policy items into the budget that were not previously part of an approved version of the budget.
Do note that this passed through the Assembly on a voice vote. That usually doesn’t happen with a controversial bill, so the ball is squarely in the Senate’s court.
Funny funny man….
If it makes it thorugh the Senate and past Jim Doyle’s veto pen
Like that is going to happen.
That’s why I pointed out that it was so popular, it passed on a voice vote.