SB113 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul Sanford

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Arthur OrrTom Butler

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

State agencies, Internet database of state expenditures, Comptroller to include subcontracts and purchase orders, Act 2009-750, 2009 Reg. Sess. am'd.; Sec. 41-4-65 am'd.

Summary

SB113 would require posting subcontracts and purchase orders in Alabama's online database of state expenditures, expanding public access to spending data.

What This Bill Does

It amends the current law to require the Comptroller to establish and post a public, searchable Internet database that now includes contracts, grants, subcontracts, and purchase orders. The database must show details such as amount, date, payer, payee, and the object of each expense, with links where available, and allow searching, downloading, and viewing by state entity funding. It also includes requirements to present information clearly (including graphs) and to show total funding to individuals or entities, while protecting confidential information and certain payee details. Agencies must cooperate and provide data, the Department of Finance and state entities must link to the database, and vendors can request confidentiality for prices or costs, with a hearings-based process and court review for confidentiality decisions.

Who It Affects

• State entities (agencies, boards, commissions, departments, public colleges/universities, and the State Board of Education) would be required to provide data to the Comptroller, cooperate in implementing the database, and adhere to confidentiality rules; they are also protected from liability for posting information based on confidentiality determinations.
• The general public and vendors would gain access to a broader, downloadable and searchable database of state expenditures; vendors can request that certain price/cost information be kept confidential, subject to a hearing and court review process.

Key Provisions

• Expands the Internet expenditure database to include subcontracts and purchase orders in addition to contracts and grants.
• Requires the database to list amount, date, payor, payee, and the object of the expense, with links to warrants or check registers, and to include class/item levels where available; data must be downloadable and searchable by various elements.
• Enables public features such as total funding by a state entity to a person, and uses graphical representations to present data; requires a user-friendly, searchable interface with download capability.
• Imposes confidentiality protections: payee addresses are not disclosed; county location may be disclosed; confidential information is protected unless a state entity determines it should be disclosed, with a hearing process and court review for confidentiality rulings; immunity from civil liability for postings based on confidentiality determinations.
• Requires data already collected by state entities to be provided to the Comptroller, without imposing new programming or resource burdens beyond what is necessary to implement the section; no public fee to access the database; entities must cooperate and provide links to the database on their websites; the Department of Finance must prominently link to the database on the state public homepage.
• Establishes procedures and rules to implement and administer the section; allows vendors to notify concerns about confidentiality of prices/costs and requires a reasonable-standard decision after a hearing; effective date is October 1, 2010.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

State Agencies