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Committee advances bill requiring fiscal disclosure in public‑funded bond materials
Summary
The House elections committee amended and advanced HB 24‑51 to require that publications paid for with public funds about bond issues include detailed fiscal disclosures (remaining principal, estimated payments, total cost including interest, duration) and allow a QR link when space is limited. The committee passed the bill favorably; several members recorded no votes.
The House Committee on Elections on Thursday amended and advanced House Bill 24‑51, a measure that would require publications paid for with public funds about bond or debt proposals to include detailed fiscal disclosures.
Representative Williams, the bill sponsor for the amendments, said the changes are intended to give voters context about bond costs. "It's important to make sure that your constituency know understands the impact," she said, explaining the amendment would require disclosure of the remaining principal balance, the estimated remaining total payments, the total cost of the bond issue including interest, and the bond duration.
The amendment defines "public funds" to include publications, mailings, advertisements, websites and social‑media postings paid in whole or in part by a school district or other public entity. Williams said the language is modeled in part on practices in other states and is targeted at bond issues — for schools or other public projects — to ensure transparency.
Committee members debated specifics. Representative Bronk questioned whether listing both "estimated annual cost per $100,000 of appraised residential property" and a disclosure based on the median‑valued home would confuse voters; proponents agreed to strike the median‑value subsection and to allow a digital link or QR code in lieu of full text when a short mailer or sign is used.
After the amendment was adopted "as amended," the committee voted to recommend HB 24‑51 favorably for passage. Representatives Simmons, Myers, Mosley and the ranking minority member asked that their 'no' votes be recorded.
The measure now moves to the full House for consideration. The committee clerk recorded the bill as advanced "favorably for passage."
