From the Statehouse 2008 No. 24
by Jennifer Garrison
Jul. 17, 2008
From the Statehouse: Keeping Government Open and Accountable
July 18, 2008
One of the beauties of our democracy is the access the public has to its representatives in government. The Ohio House recently passed three bills that ensure an open government that can be held accountable to the people it serves.
Current law opens all meetings of a public body to the public. A public official must be there in person to be considered “present” for the purposes of determining a quorum and voting. Exceptions do exist, though, if a meeting is held by teleconference, and if provisions are made for public attendance at locations involved in the teleconference.
Amended Substitute House Bill 129 authorizes a two-year pilot program to explore how teleconference services could best be utilized for all public meetings. Specifically, the bill allows the members of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council, the Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities, and two boards that govern and advise the STAR Community Justice Center in Franklin Furnace, Ohio, to be present at their respective board meetings by teleconference or interactive video teleconference.
A variety of legitimate reasons exists that may prevent both public officials and concerned citizens from attending certain public meetings in person. Technology creates a new and viable form of communication that has shown much promise in its applications in the educational and business spheres. The state can now pursue the effective use of teleconference technologies in a measured way that best identifies the uses of this technology while protecting the rights of Ohio’s citizens to open public meetings. I supported HB 129 with my “yes” vote as it passed out of the House. It now awaits consideration iin the Senate.
House Bill 420 creates a free, searchable website accessible to the public and run by Ohio’s Office of Budget and Management (OBM). This website, which would go online next year, would list relevant information on state awards and earmarks. The bill also creates the Ohio Real Property Council to compile updated lists of all state-owned property to put online.
This website would allow OBM to assess each state program, at least every 24 months, with respect to its purpose, design, planning, management, results, and accountability, to determine the overall effectiveness of the program. OBM would then make recommendations on ways to improve program results based on this evaluation.
HB 420 creates an easily-accessible database that ensures programs are performing the work they are charged with doing. This will allow state government to operate in a more open, effective and efficient manner. I supported this bill with my “yes” vote as it unanimously passed out of the House. The Senate will now consider it.
Amended Senate Bill 268 permits county contracting authorities to publicly request competitive, sealed proposals through a detailed “request for proposal” (RFP) process instead of using the existing competitive sealed bid process for certain improvement contracts. In lieu of the bid process, the RFP process can be used to purchase such items as computer software, GIS mapping and automated billing systems, fiber optic services, security systems, and professional and consulting services.
This legislation gives local governments an opportunity to operate more efficiently and save taxpayer dollars, while providing an open process for the bidding of local projects. I supported this bill with my “yes” vote. Governor Strickland recently signed SB 268 into law, and it takes effect September 12.
You can reach Jennifer Garrison at her Columbus office at (614) 644-8728, in the district at 373-2414 or by e-mail at jennifer@jennifergarrison.com. Her website is Riffe Center | 77 South High Street | Columbus Ohio 43215-6111 | (800) 282-0253 | District93@ohr.state.oh.us
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