Some lawmakers don’t want to disclose how they spend your money.

The House Ways and Means Committee has voted 19-0 for a bill to repeal a law requiring them to hold public hearings. If passed by the House

If passed by the House and Senate, the Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees would no longer hold joint, public hearings on state spending as the governor has requested.

The law is important because the public has a “right to speak on the whole budget” at the start of the spending planning, civil rights attorney Armand Derfner said.

Lawmakers are already spreading the planning over multiple subcommittee hearings.

This gives taxpayers little opportunity to get a clear understanding of what they plan.

In January, Gov. Henry McMaster gave lawmakers his proposed $30.8 billion, fiscal 2022 spending plan starting July 1.

Under the law that lawmakers ignore, the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees should have held joint, public hearings on McMaster’s budget.

In voting to repeal the law, Ways and Means Committee members said they see no need for the law.

They contend the process is transparent.

Brundrett is news editor of The Nerve (www.thenerve.org). Contact him at 803-254-4411.