SPONSOR: McGaugh
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Elections and Elected Officials by a vote of 9 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 13 to 0.
This bill requires all non-charter counties, by the first Monday in March, to prepare and publish in a qualified newspaper a financial statement for the previous year.
The financial statement shall include the name, office, and current gross annual salary of each elected or appointed county official whose salary is set by the County Salary Commission.
The County Clerk or other officer responsible for the preparation of the financial statement shall preserve the documents relied upon in the making of the financial statements and shall provide an electronic copy free of charge to any newspaper requesting a copy of the data.
Currently, these requirements only apply to counties of the first classification.
This bill is similar to HB 1814 (2020).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the bill will allow small counties to publish notice in the same manner as large counties, using the condensed format of financial statements, and should result in savings for small counties. The salary of officials is a common question asked by citizens and its publication will increase transparency.
Testifying for the bill were Representative McGaugh; Angie Curley; Ronetta Burton, Daviess County; Will Ellis, Randolph County Missouri; Arnie C. Dienoff; Darrell Skiles, County Commissioners Association of Missouri; Laura Crowley; Sherry Parks, Livingston County; and the Missouri Press Association .
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: