BATON ROUGE, LA (February 1, 2018) – Today, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) announced the participation of a key player from the team who created “OhioCheckbook.com” at the organization’s Annual Meeting next Thursday, February 8th, in Baton Rouge.

In 2014, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel launched OhioCheckbook.com, which sets a new national standard for government transparency and for the first time in Ohio history puts all state spending information on the internet.  OhioCheckbook.com recently earned Ohio the number one government transparency ranking in the country for the second year in a row. Leaders in Louisiana are seeking to replicate this successful model in an effort to shine a light on state and local spending amidst perennial discussions of the government’s budget challenges.

Representatives from the Ohio Treasurer’s office will participate in an hour-long morning panel hosted by LABI at their 2018 Annual Meeting – Reimagining Louisiana: Bolder Vision, Brighter Future. This panel will take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge. The full panel includes Dr. Loren Scott of Loren C. Scott and Associates, Inc., newly elected Louisiana State Treasurer John M. Schroder, and a panelist from the “OhioCheckbook.com” team, Director of Public Affairs Frank Kohstall.

Dr. Loren Scott will take the audience through Louisiana’s current economic situation, and Treasurer Schroder will provide an update on his early days in the Treasurer’s office and his plans to move Louisiana toward transparency. The Ohio team member will discuss the creation and history of OhioCheckbook.com, and provide a demonstration of the website, showcasing how it has set a new national standard for transparency while empowering taxpayers to hold public officials accountable. 

“We are thrilled to have national experts join our strong Louisiana team to discuss the details of OhioCheckbook.com,” stated Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) president and CEO Stephen Waguespack. “Louisiana should seek to emulate national best practices, and this meeting of the minds is a great step towards empowering and engaging taxpayers here at home.”

The idea to infuse this level of transparency into Louisiana has been touted for months by various groups, including LABI, but most recently by the Louisiana Speaker of the House Taylor Barras. An enhanced transparency website is a key priority for many in the Legislature and is now slated to be a critical topic in the 2018 legislative session. The LABI Annual Meeting panel will provide lawmakers and the administration with helpful insight and details as they seek to craft a Louisiana model.

When asked about a “LouisianaCheckbook.com” system, Treasurer Schroder stated, “There is no doubt in my mind that we need LouisianaCheckbook.com. Transparency is not a partisan issue; it is something that every elected official should proudly embrace. I am committed to working with anyone to get this right, as long as the result makes it easy for taxpayers to see exactly how government spends their money.”

This informative panel will kick off the morning of LABI’s 2018 Annual Meeting where the most-listened-to woman in America on political talk radio, Editor-in-Chief, and Co-Founder of LifeZette.com, Laura Ingraham will serve as the Keynote Speaker during the luncheon.

The full schedule for LABI’s 2018 Annual Meeting is as follows:

2018 Annual Meeting Program Schedule for February 7th & 8th

February 7th:

7:00-9:00 p.m. LABI Member and Legislator VIP Reception

(Open to legislators and members only)

February 8th:

8 a.m. to noon: Registration

9:30-10:30 a.m.: Morning Panel

10:30 a.m.: Break

11:00-11:30 a.m.: Annual LABI Membership and Board Meeting

Noon: Luncheon Keynote with Laura Ingraham

For more information please visit Eventbrite. Online registration has closed for the event and the Luncheon is sold-out. If you would like to attend the morning panel, please contact the LABI's office at (225) 928-5388.

For press inquiries, contact:

Camille Ivy-O’Donnell

(817) 944-5091

camillei@labi.org

About the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry was organized in 1975 to represent Louisiana businesses, serving as both the state chamber of commerce and state manufacturers association. LABI’s primary goal is to foster a climate for economic growth by championing the principles of the free enterprise system and representing the general interest of the business community through active involvement in the political, legislative, judicial and regulatory processes. Find out more information at www.labi.org.

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