A new report by Good Jobs First finds that states have not kept up with technology in creating certain disclosure systems, and in some cases actively resist advances. The State of State Disclosure analyzed state websites for publicly available data on economic development subsidies, state procurement contracts and lobbying activities. Connecticut scored the highest, with an average of 84 percent, but more than half of the states received failing grades, placing the average score at 60 percent, a D-minus. Using a 100 percent scoring system, the report reviewed each state's government websites, judging them on availability of information, level of detail, and navigability in the three areas covered by the report (economic development subsidies, procurement contracts, and lobbying activities). Information accessible through informal or formal records requests was not considered. Websites were then rated according to the following criteria:

• Ease of finding the site
• Level of detail, including grant/subsidy type, grantee name and dollar value
• Thoroughness in terms of providing other information and/or linking to other related data
• Depth, including archival years available
• Timeliness, in terms of how current the data is

Though every state either had information on procurement contracts and lobbying available or had plans to make the information available, fewer than half the states devoted any part of their websites to development subsidies. Some states also varied widely on their scores across sectors, with an exceptional site for one issue but no available information on another area. Results of the report included the following:

• States scored best on procurement contracts, averaging a B-, with 16 states at or above 90 percent.
• Despite the strong trend for procurement contracts information, Minnesota and Wyoming scored the lowest, below 50 percent, in this area, and four other states also received failing grades.
• Five states received a near perfect score on lobbying information: Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Wisconsin and Washington.
• Only 23 states had online disclosure programs for economic subsidies, and 11 of those received failing grades.

The State of State Disclosure recommends states take advantage of online programs to enhance public information access. Specifically, the report emphasizes the importance of the user's ability to search databases for specific entities with access to the full data set; to provide the data in a variety of forms to appeal to a diverse audience; to include outcomes and past performance data on subsidy and contract databases; and to overlay the information with campaign contributions. Government transparency is crucial in providing accountability, controlling corruption and enabling constituents to be active partners in democracy. The Internet has emerged as a powerful tool for storing and disseminating information, providing an unparalleled forum for open access, and Philip Mattera, co-author of the report, sees evidence that "states are improving."