Legislation touted by supporters as a way to increase lawmakers' transparency and accountability, partly by publishing member-by-member monthly spending reports, died Tuesday in the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee.
Modesto Republican Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen proposed the measure, Assembly Bill 1730.
Olsen's bill called for members of the Assembly and Senate to:
• Post their monthly budget allocations and expenditures online, including any caucus allocations, travel expenses, office rent and staff salaries.
• Identify committee spending separately from office spending.
• Withhold votes on legislation until a bill has been available publicly for at least 72 hours.
• Report within 24 hours any campaign contribution over $100 that is received during deadline weeks for the state budget, end of the legislative session, and for moving bills out of their house of origin.
Olsen introduced AB 1730 after the Assembly balked last year at releasing member-by-member office budgets, sparking a lawsuit by The Bee and Los Angeles Times that led to a judge's ruling that they are public records and must be disclosed.
Republicans on the committee supported AB 1730 Tuesday, but Democrats voted against the bill, were absent, or did not vote.
The bill received only two of the four affirmative votes required for passage.
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