Arkansas' Checkbook Now Online
State expenditures including salaries, contracts, revenues, bonds, and more, went online July 1 after a 2011 law required the creation of an online checkbook so the public can view how much the State of Arkansas spends through its agencies. All state agencies are included except institutions of higher learning which are on a different accounting system. Other states have taken similar measures to increase their transparency.
One of the goals of the website is to cut down on the burden of FOIA requests, according to Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R - Beebe). This transparency did not come without cost, though. The General Assembly had allocated over $500,000 to establish the reporting system, adding two new jobs to help with the project, and appropriated about $250,000 per year thereafter to maintain the system.