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SB 417

DNR rule relating to prohibitions when hunting and trapping

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jack Woodrum

Requires UNC system, state departments, courts, and the General Assembly to publish monthly, itemized expenditures of $1+ with totals within 10 days, boosting transparency.

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Bill Summary · SB 417

SB 417 — Posting of State Costs (Fiscal Transparency and Accessibility)

Status: Passed 1st Reading (Introduced Feb 18, 2025)
Subject areas: state administration, budgeting, public records, electronic government, legislative services

Main purpose

Require key state entities to publish monthly, itemized expenditure data (every payment $1.00 or more) so the public can see how state revenue is spent.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new fiscal-transparency requirement across three statutes:
    • New G.S. 143B‑28.2 — applies to The University of North Carolina and each principal department under Chapters 143A and 143B.
    • Amends G.S. 7A‑343(9h) — requires similar reporting by the State courts.
    • Adds G.S. 120‑32.05 — requires the Legislative Services Officer to publish General Assembly expenditures.
  • Reporting content and threshold:
    • Itemized list of all expenditures costing at least $1.00 for purchases of tangible personal property, real property, and services.
    • Include the monthly sum total of expenditures.
  • Process and timing:
    • Entities collate and report monthly in a format prescribed by the Department of Administration (or, for the General Assembly, the Legislative Services Officer).
    • The Department of Administration (or Legislative Services Officer / Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts) must publish the report on its website within 10 days of receiving/creating it, in a publicly accessible format.
  • Legal protections:
    • Does not require disclosure of records that are confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure under State or federal law.
  • Effective dates:
    • Act effective July 1, 2025.
    • Publication obligations begin October 1, 2025 and cover expenditures starting with the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

Who is affected

  • The University of North Carolina system and principal state departments under Chapters 143A/143B.
  • State courts (reporting via the Director/Administrative Officer of the Courts).
  • The General Assembly (via the Legislative Services Officer).
  • Indirectly affects vendors and contractors (their payments will appear in published data).

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Transparency: Provides the public near-real-time access to detailed state spending data at a very low threshold ($1), improving oversight and research capability.
  • Administrative/IT burden: Agencies will need processes and systems to collate, format (per Department of Administration specifications), and publish monthly data; there may be implementation costs and resource needs.
  • Privacy and confidentiality: Agencies must identify and withhold genuinely protected information (e.g., sensitive personal data, security-related expenditures, or legally protected records).
  • Data usability: Effectiveness depends on the prescribed data format, consistency across entities, and ongoing maintenance to ensure files are machine-readable and searchable.

Procedural notes

  • Reports are required monthly; published within 10 days after the reporting entity submits the prescribed file.
  • Statutory sections created/amended: new §143B‑28.2; amendment to §7A‑343; new §120‑32.05.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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