BILL NO. 115

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
64 Elizabeth II, 2015

Private Member's Bill

Transparency in Expenses Act

The Honourable Jamie Baillie
Cumberland South

First Reading: May 5, 2015

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Notes

Clause 1 sets out the short title of this Act.

Clause 2 requires Government ministers (including the Premier) and their executive assistants to maintain records of their expenses as ministers or executive assistants and requires that copies of the records be made publicly accessible including on a public website.

Clause 3 requires the Leader of the Opposition and any other leader of a recognized party (other than the Premier) to maintain records of their expenses as leaders and requires that copies of the records be made publicly accessible including on a public website.

An Act to Amend Chapter 155
of the Revised Statutes, 1989,
the Executive Council Act,
and Chapter 1 (1992 Supplement)
of the Revised Statutes, 1989,
the House of Assembly Act

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Transparency in Expenses Act.

2 Chapter 155 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Executive Council Act, is amended by

(a) renumbering Section 9A as 9D; and

(b) adding immediately after Section 9 the following Sections:

(2) Each member of the Executive Council shall keep records of all expenses of the member, detailing individual expenditures including the date, description and amount of each transaction, together with copies of supporting documents.

9B (1) In this Section, "expenses" means expenses incurred by an executive assistant to a member of the Executive Council as an assistant to the member.

(2) Each executive assistant to a member of the Executive Council shall keep records of all expenses of the executive assistant, detailing individual expenditures including the date, description and amount of each transaction, together with copies of supporting documents.

(3) The executive assistant shall provide the records to the member of the Executive Council.

9C (1) In this Section, "Commission" means the House of Assembly Management Commission.

(2) The member of the Executive Council shall make the records kept pursuant to Sections 9A and 9B available for inspection and copying by the Clerk of the Executive Council and the Auditor General.

(3) A member of the Executive Council shall retain the records kept pursuant to Sections 9A and 9B until three years after the member ceases to be a member.

(4) Each month, the member of the Executive Council shall post or cause to be posted a copy of the member's and of the member's executive assistant's previous month's expenses on a website as determined by the Commission.

(5) Each half year, the member of the Executive Council shall prepare a statement of all expenses of the member and the member's executive assistant, detailing individual expenditures including the date, description and amount of each transaction, for the preceding half year.

(6) The member of the Executive Council shall

(a) make the statements available for inspection by any person within a reasonable time after a request by that person for inspection; and

(b) post or cause to be posted a copy of each statement on a website as determined by the Commission.

(7) A statement need not be kept by the member of the Executive Council for public inspection after five years following the end of the year to which the statement relates.

3 Chapter 1 (1992 Supplement) of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the House of Assembly Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 43 the following Section:

(a) "Commission" means the House of Assembly management Commission;

(b) "expenses" means expenses incurred by a leader of a recognized party and reimbursed pursuant to Section 42 or 43;

(c) "leader of a recognized party" means Leader of the Opposition and each leader of a recognized party, other than the Premier.

(2) Each leader of a recognized party shall keep records of all expenses of the leader, detailing individual expenditures including the date, description and amount of each transaction, together with copies of supporting documents.

(3) Each leader of a recognized party shall make the records kept pursuant to subsection (2) available for inspection and copying by the Auditor General.

(4) Each leader of a recognized party shall retain the records kept pursuant to subsection (2) until three years after the leader ceases to be a leader.

(5) Each month, each leader of a recognized party shall post or cause to be posted a copy of the leader's previous month's expenses on a website as determined by the Commission.

(6) Each half year, each leader of a recognized party shall prepare a statement of all expenses of the leader, detailing individual expenditures including the date, description and amount of each transaction, for the preceding half year.

(7) Each leader of a recognized party shall