"Citizen Access Page" a Source for Open Government

Bills, statutes, votes and lobbyist reports via www.senatorrobbins.com

Pennsylvania Senate votes and debates, as well as bills and statutes, can now be accessed online via one site, the new "Citizen Access Page," according to Senator Bob Robbins (R-50)

Visitors to Senator Robbins' website, www.senatorrobbins.com can click on the Citizen Access Page to look up bills and amendments, review text of floor debates, and see how senators voted. Information is available for votes in committee and the full Senate.

The Citizen Access Page also helps users track who is lobbying, who individual lobbyists are representing, and how they are spending their money. They can also see the number of clients each lobbyist has and what each one is spending per client.

The site guides users through the process, under the headings "How to View Senate Votes and Debates," "How to Search Pennsylvania Statutes," and "How to View Lobbyist Disclosure Reports."

The Citizen Access Page is part of the ongoing effort to provide greater transparency in the Senate. Others steps include limiting voting session to between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. to prevent late-night votes, and waiting at least six hours before voting on an amended bill to give legislators and the public time to understand the changes before a final vote.

Contact:

Michael Hengst
(717) 787-1322