Form BillingsGazette:

HELENA — The state Senate on Tuesday advanced a proposal to put detailed state government spending and employee salary information on a website, as supporters said the public should have easy access to information on how the state spends its money.

“The (state) agencies owe this to the people,” said Rep. Tom Burnett, R-Bozeman. “It’s going to cost a little bit of money. But it’s a duty that government owes its citizens.”

The Senate voted 30-20 to endorse Burnett’s House Bill 444, which directs the state to create a “public finance website.” The site would have a searchable database and include information such as employees’ salaries, agency budgets, all agency purchases and contracts, grants and leases, and published audits and reports.

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