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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2008
CONTACT:
Mike Sarfert
(717) 787-6538
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Taxpayers Can Now Search for, Review State Contracts Online

Harrisburg – Under a new law Pennsylvania taxpayers can now access state contracts worth $5,000 or more via a searchable online database.

Under Act 3 of 2008, the Pennsylvania Treasury maintains a website with a contracts search function that enables citizens to locate contract summaries, contracts, and other documents, such as purchase orders and amendments, Orie said.

Contracts can be searched by agency (including the Legislative and Judicial branches of state government), contracting party, amount, date, subject matter and contract number.

The state enters into a multitude of contracts for equipment, services and more. All of those contracts are spending taxpayer dollars and citizens have the right to see them and government works best when it operates out in the open.

The web address for the database is  http://contracts.patreasury.org/search.aspx. The site includes a link to a "Help" page that instructs users on how to conduct searches.

Act 3 of 2008 is a comprehensive enhancement of Pennsylvania's Open Records Law. In addition to putting state contracts online, it implemented an essential open government reform: reversing the presumption of access to records and putting the burden of proof on a government agency denying public access to a record. Legislative records and financial records of the judiciary are subject to the same presumption – records are considered public unless proven otherwise.

It also establishes an independent Office of Open Records to hear appeals regarding access to records, increases financial penalties for noncompliance, and makes it easier for citizens to recover attorneys’ fees if an agency acts in bad faith.