State's outside hiring targeted.(Capital Region)

Byline: ERIN DUGGAN Capitol bureau

ALBANY - State agencies will have to track and report on the number of private consultants hired each year under a bill moving through the Assembly and already approved by the Senate.

The bill, which was voted out of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday and now needs approval from the Rules Committee, is one of four being pushed by state workers unions that say the private consultants are costing the state too much money.

"This is the first step toward evaluating the true taxpayer cost of contracting out," said Roger Benson, president of the Public Employees Federation.

The Assembly bill is …