Last week, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally testified before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in support of SB 659 – 21st Century Financial Systems Council – Establishment with amendments.
This legislation envisions a thoughtful but expedient process to replace the State’s outdated financial system to improve efficiency and service delivery. As county governments regularly interface with the system, MACo’s amendment merely offers local input to help guide this critical transition.
MACo supports efforts to modernize State government and implement services that are accessible, equitable, transparent, and accountable to local governments, businesses, nonprofits, vendors, and others who rely on timely State agency transactions and payments. SB 659 establishes the 21st Century Financial Systems Council to set policies, objectives, and priorities for transforming the State’s financial management information systems infrastructure into the 21st century financial systems enterprise, as defined by the bill.
From the MACo Testimony:
Maryland has one of the country’s oldest accounting and payment processing systems. Modernizing the financial system, SB 659 could reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and provide the necessary flexibility to meet dynamic end-user requirements. As part of a true partnership with the State, county governments can offer valuable input to help accomplish this goal. As such, MACo urges amendments to require the 21st Century Financial Systems Council to consider local input on policies, objectives, and priorities for transforming the State’s financial system.
More on MACo’s Advocacy:
Learn more about MACo’s 2023 Legislative Initiatives
Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog