House advances records-access amendments that would expand salary disclosures for state higher-education employees

The House considered and passed amendments to the Government Records Access Management Act on Feb. 13, 1995, that sponsors said would broaden disclosure of higher-education salaries paid through an institution’s payroll.

Representative Martin R. Stevens explained floor amendments that change records committee membership and meeting frequency and add disclosure of compensation categorized as ‘‘gross compensation’’ — interpreted on the floor as W-2 compensation paid by an institution. In floor Q&A, members asked whether compensation earned from outside activities (television appearances, private consulting, or grants administered through private foundations) would be disclosed. Stevens and other floor speakers clarified that only compensation paid as a W-2 through the university (state records) would be subject to disclosure; outside payments not paid on institutional W-2s would not be government records under the Act.

A Representative asked whether the change would be easy to circumvent by routing pay through private foundations; Stevens acknowledged that could be a route but said the bill’s intent is limited to state-recorded compensation. The amendment also designates the state archivist as an automatic records-committee member and makes other housekeeping changes. The bill, as amended, passed the House 69-0 and will be forwarded to the Senate.