The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) has registered another victory in its “Go Public” government accountability and anti-privatization campaign.

On March 22, Gov. George Pataki signed the Contract Disclosure Bill into law. The measure requires the Department of Civil Service to annually report the number of contract workers hired to perform services for state agencies. It’s a requirement that will address transparency issues that have remained in the shadows of the state budget for years, according to PEF.

“This new law will now permit the Legislature and the public to actually begin to determine the real size and cost of state government with true cost comparisons of contractors versus state employees,” said PEF president Roger Benson. “In many cases, state agencies are hiring consultants for long periods of time and are paying them fees far greater than the amount that it would cost to hire state employees to do the same work. This new law will enable PEF and all New Yorkers to ask important questions about why this wasteful spending is occurring.”

The disclosure bill passed the Legislature earlier this year by a combined vote of 197 to 1. The law will take effect in June.

“The bottom line is we need good information to make sound public policy and that’s what this legislation provides,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a sponsor of the bill. “This is simply good government.”

PEF has been promoting more open and cost-effective government through its “Go Public—Get Accountable” bills. Last year, the union celebrated its first legislative victory in the campaign with the enactment of a measure requiring lobbyists to report more about their efforts to influence the award of state contracts. That law aims to gut what PEF calls “pay-to-play” politics—lobbying for contracts—that undermine the competitive bidding process.