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Orr, Ball say make state ties public Bills inspired by reports of contracts with 2-year schools

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03-31-2007 - from Huntsville Times, BOB LOWRY Times Staff Writer

MONTGOMERY - Two North Alabama legislators on Friday said they want a law that would require elected officials and their spouses to disclose if they are working for the state or have contracts with the state.

The bills by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, also would require the secretary of state's office to post the information on its Web site. There was only one problem with the original draft of the bills - they didn't contain any punitive language - but that will be addressed.

The bills were written by the Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank in Birmingham. Ball said the legislation was inspired by reports of legislators who have contracts with two-year colleges and state agencies.

"It's time to shine some light on the process," he said.

The measure requires elected officials to notify the secretary of state of any employment or contracts with the state that they or their spouse have. The secretary of state is then required to post the information, along with the description of the state employment, the state contract and the compensation on its Web site.

Orr said officials with two-year schools have bragged that hiring legislators often leads to higher budget appropriations.

"If public officials are comfortable entering into such questionable agreements," Orr said, "they should be comfortable in publicly disclosing them for all to see."