The state open records law requires contracts worth more than $5,000 awarded since July 1, 2008 to be posted online and  a list of 66 Senate contracts and leases was expected to have been so done last August but has not apparently due to software compatibility. The Senate chief clerk's office uses more-advanced software to electronically transmit documents than with what Treasury is equipped.

If documents are available on searchable public Web sites, citizens don't have to file right-to-know requests from offices and wait for a response.