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Committee backs bill to codify Montana procurement transparency website
Summary
Senate Bill 564 would require the Department of Administration to create and maintain an online transparency portal for procurement and payments; the department supports codifying a site it already operates.
The Senate State Administration Committee voted to report Senate Bill 564 with a do-pass recommendation after hearing agency testimony that the measure would codify a procurement transparency website the Department of Administration already runs.
Senator Ken Bauchner, sponsor of SB 564, said the bill simply requires the Department of Administration to create and manage a website "to increase transparency" and to make that practice a statutory requirement to prevent it from being discontinued by future administrations.
Misty Ann Giles, Director of the Department of Administration, testified in support and said the site has been maintained in practice since 2013; she asked the committee to "solidify this practice" into law. Don Harris, chief legal counsel for the department, also supported the bill and said the handout given to committee members reflects the content that would be codified.
Committee discussion briefly touched on the bill's small proposed revenue provision—a dollar fee mentioned in bill text to support the site—which department witnesses said could be removed because collecting it could cost more than it generates.
The committee took a voice vote and reported SB 564 favorably. Committee members said codifying the site would help maintain procurement transparency and public access to payment information.
Votes at a glance: The committee recorded a voice vote in favor of reporting the bill to the full Senate.
