(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    (i)    “Payee” means any party who receives from the State an aggregate payment of $25,000 in a fiscal year.

(ii)    “Payee” does not include:

1.    a State employee with respect to the employee’s compensation; or

2.    a State retiree with respect to the retiree’s retirement allowance.

(3)    “Searchable Web site” means a Web site created in accordance with this section that displays and searches State payment data.

(b)    On or before January 1, 2009, the Department shall develop and operate a single searchable Web site, accessible to the public at no cost through the Internet.

(c)    The searchable Web site shall contain State payment data, including:

(1)    the name of a payee receiving a payment;

(2)    the location of a payee by postal zip code;

(3)    the amount of a payment; and

(4)    the name of an agency making a payment.

(d)    The searchable Web site shall allow the user to:

(1)    search data for fiscal year 2008 and each year thereafter; and

(2)    search by the following data fields:

(i)    a payee receiving a payment;

(ii)    an agency making a payment; and

(iii)    the zip code of a payee receiving a payment.

(e)    State agencies shall provide appropriate assistance to the Secretary to ensure the existence and ongoing operation of the single Web site.

(f)    This section may not be construed to require the disclosure of information that is confidential under State or federal law.

(g)    This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Maryland Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2008”.