Reis’ Bill Requires Reports on all Executive Orders: Governor must report annually on order's fiscal impact

February 27, 2006

Springfield.….A bill sponsored by State Rep. David Reis (R-Ste. Marie) that is a direct response to last summer’s executive order by the Governor appropriating $10-million for embryonic stem cell research, was unanimously approved by the Illinois House of Representatives this past Thursday afternoon.

“The governor hid $10-million in the state budget last year and was not forthright with the taxpayers of Illinois that the money was going to be used for embryonic stem cell research” said Reis.

HB4157 requires the current governor and all future governors to report to the General Assembly every July 31st on the fiscal impact of all executive orders issued or signed during the previous fiscal year. “Currently there is no statute in Illinois law that the governor has to report at the end of the fiscal year how the monies appropriated through an executive order were spent” Reis said.

The measure specifies the items that must be included for each executive order to reflect the cost of implementing, administering, and enforcing the order and the percentage of those costs borne by current and future appropriations.

The 108th District State Representative said the bill would require more transparency regarding the fiscal impact any and all executive orders have on the State. “It’s just good government” said Reis. “With this legislation Illinois taxpayers will know exactly where their tax dollars are going when the governor issues an executive order.”

The bill that was approved on a 116-0 vote now heads to the Senate for their consideration.