House OKs bill requiring disclosure of legislative travel

A bill that requires lawmakers to disclose expenses and the source of funding for travel paid by politicos was given approval in the House on Thursday.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, and Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, was introduced after the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee uncovered numerous legislative trips funded by politically connected people.

The trips, which included travel to Alabama, Europe and North Carolina, were not required to be disclosed.

The measure would require lawmakers to disclose the source and amount of contributions from private sources used to cover costs "necessarily related to the adequate performance of that member's legislative duties" and for travel "including any expenses incidental to such travel, paid on behalf of the member by a person with an interest in a public policy of this state if the travel was for the purpose of informing or advising the member with respect to the public policy."

Read more: http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/20/house-oks-bill-requiring-disclosure-legislative-travel/99816826/