HCSHB1606--COUNTYFINANCIALSTATEMENTS
SPONSOR: McGaugh
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCSbyConsent"bythe
StandingCommitteeonLocalGovernmentbyavoteof11to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1606.
Thisbillrequiresallnon-chartercounties,byJunethirtiethof
eachyear,toprepareandpublishinaqualifiednewspapera
financialstatementforthepreviousyear.
Thefinancialstatementshallincludethename,office,andcurrent
grossannualsalaryofeachelectedorappointedcountyofficial
whosesalaryissetbytheCountySalaryCommission.
Thecountyclerkorotherofficerresponsibleforthepreparation
ofthefinancialstatementmustpreservethedocumentsreliedupon
inthemakingofthefinancialstatementsandshallprovidean
electroniccopyfreeofchargetoanynewspaperrequestingacopy
ofthedata.
Currently,theserequirementsonlyapplytocountiesofthefirst
classification.
ThisbillissimilartoHB381(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthebillwillallowsmallcounties
topublishnoticeinthesamemanneraslargecounties,usingthe
condensedformatoffinancialstatements,andshouldresultin
savingsforsmallcounties. Thesalaryofofficialsisacommon
questionaskedbycitizensanditspublicationwillincrease
transparency.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative McGaugh;Missouri
AssociationofCounties;MissouriAssociationofCountyClerksand
ElectionAuthorities;andtheMissouriPressAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatsuchfinancial
statementsshouldbeemailedfree-of-chargetoanycitizenthat
wantsone.Moretransparencyincountygovernmentisneeded.
TestifyingagainstthebillwasArnieC."AC"Dienoff. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.