Colorado Spending Transparency

The 2010 Colorado General Assembly passed judgment on 23 pieces of legislation, including one joint resolution, that claim some type of transparency benefit.  Seventeen passed.

Some were great such as Rep. Amy Stephens’ bill requiring transparency for gifts, grants and donations that pay for special interest government and Rep BJ Nikkel’s bill requiring more detailed information be made available on the state’s disappointing transparency Web site called Transparency Online Project (TOP).

Some bills were bad. HB 1330, the transparency trojan horse that supporters called the All Payer Health Care Database, was particularly bad.

Some bills were acceptable but not great because they bumped bills that were much better.  The Public School Financial Transparency Act and Smart Government fall into this category.

For a more detailed wrap up of how transparency fared during the 2010 legislative session visit iVoices.org to hear our transparency podcast.