Scott Franklin (R-FL)
Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act requires heads of Federal agencies to submit an annual report to Congress regarding official time authorized under title 5, United States Code. This report must be submitted by June 30 of each year and posted on the agency's public website. The report details costs, employee information, compensation for negotiations, and expenses related to labor disputes. It also tracks the use of agency property and real estate by labor organizations. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Comptroller General audit agency accounting practices every four years.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates public disclosure of detailed labor costs, employee compensation data, and agency resource usage.
- Scored +3
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?
The bill mandates detailed reporting and periodic GAO audits to ensure better accounting of labor-related expenses.
- Scored +1
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases federal oversight and reporting requirements for agency-level labor and financial activities.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Would union members be better off under this?
The bill mandates transparency of union costs and personal employee compensation data, which could impact union privacy and operations.
- Scored -4
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill requires the disclosure of specific individual employee data, including pay rates and bonuses, on public websites.
- Scored -3
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?
The bill increases transparency and scrutiny of union-related costs and official time, which may increase administrative burdens for labor organizations.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency: The bill requires agencies to post detailed reports on their public websites (Section 2(b)), which provides the public with specific information regarding how official time and agency resources are used.
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Financial Accountability: The report mandates the disclosure of total costs for official time, compensation for negotiating agreements, and fees paid to arbitrators (Section 2(b)(1), (4), and (5)), which allows for oversight of how funds are spent.
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Detailed Employee Data: The bill requires reporting on individual employee positions, pay rates, bonuses, and the specific hours spent on authorized official time (Section 2(b)(3)), providing a granular look at labor costs.
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Oversight of Agency Assets: The Act requires documentation of the use of agency property and real estate by labor organizations, including costs for maintenance and acquisition (Section 2(b)(9), (10), and (11)).
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Audit Requirements: The Comptroller General is tasked with auditing agency accounting practices at least once every four years to ensure they are following generally accepted accounting principles (Section 2(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Administrative Burden: Agency heads are required to compile and submit highly detailed annual reports covering a wide range of financial and personnel data (Section 2(b)).
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Disclosure of Employee Information: The bill requires the report to include specific details regarding individual employees, such as their position, annual rate of basic pay, and bonuses (Section 2(b)(3)(A) and (B)).
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Requirement for Frequent Audits: Agencies must undergo audits by the Comptroller General at least once every four years regarding their accounting practices (Section 2(c)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would union members be better off under this? — The bill mandates transparency of union costs and personal employee compensation data, which could impact union privacy and operations.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates public disclosure of detailed labor costs, employee compensation data, and agency resource usage. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight and reporting requirements for agency-level labor and financial activities. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill requires the disclosure of specific individual employee data, including pay rates and bonuses, on public websites.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill mandates detailed reporting and periodic GAO audits to ensure better accounting of labor-related expenses. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill aims to improve oversight of official time and union-related costs, which could lead to more efficient government spending. Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill increases transparency and scrutiny of union-related costs and official time, which may increase administrative burdens for labor organizations.
- 3/24/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.