AGA’s CEO will discuss how legislation is driving transparency advances for the federal government, and at the state level, which states are vying for the coveted “A+” for their data sharing efforts. Examples of states that are leading the way in demonstrating the value of data will be highlighted, as well as how the Citizen Centric Reporting format can be an effective way to communicate clearly and simply to the citizen about where their tax dollars are being applied, and what challenges remain. Public trust and understanding can be greatly enhanced by government transparency initiatives.