NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey said ownership records of companies seeking economic development grants should be available to the public.
The Blountville Republican spoke to reporters Thursday about Governor Bill Haslam's proposal that would seal off information about those companies.
Haslam has called for the public records changes as part of his plan to offer more cash incentives for companies to invest in Tennessee.
The bill closes off information regarding "business processes, organizational structure and ownership, financial statements, budgets, cash flow reports or similar materials." A Senate vote on the proposal was again delayed earlier Thursday.
Critics said ownership records, in particular, should be public. Ramsey agrees, saying "we're working ... to make sure that anything that should be made public is made public."
Read SB2207 at http://capitol.tn.gov.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
