Hurley Overrides Governor’s Veto in Effort to Provide More Transparency to Illinois Taxpayers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an attempt to increase government transparency and save taxpayer dollars, state Rep. Fran Hurley, D-Chicago, advanced the Debt Transparency Act with a unanimous, bipartisan override of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the bill.

“Because Illinois is facing unprecedented financial challenges, fiscal accountability is important now more than ever,” Hurley said. “By holding state agencies accountable, taxpayers will have a clearer picture of the state’s finances. Our unanimous override of Gov. Rauner’s veto was a bipartisan effort to bring more transparency to the taxpayers of Illinois.”

Hurley’s House Bill 3649, also known as the Debt Transparency Act, provides taxpayers with a clearer picture of how taxpayer dollars are spent. By requiring state agencies to disclose the bills they are holding monthly, taxpayers will know the true extent of the state’s debt along with the estimated amount of penalties paid on late bills. While agencies are currently required to report this data annually to the state comptroller, it is outdated by the time it is reported, preventing taxpayers and policymakers from having a clear understanding of the state’s debts. Hurley is committed to finding new ways to protect taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.

“Working families are already struggling to get by, and we should be making sure that their tax dollars are being spent responsibly,” Hurley said. “I will continue fighting to ensure that Illinois is more transparent with its finances.”