Senator Ralph Smith, a Republican from Botetourt County, has a rather novel idea: require the General Assembly to post the state’s proposed budget online 72 hours before the worthies vote on it.  Smith’s point? To give the members time to read, and maybe understand, where all that taxpayer money is going.

Smith tried to get similar legislation passed back in 2009, but it was unanimously dismissed by the powerful (and budget-writing) Senate Finance Committee.