Bill Watch: Ethics
There are 20 bills relating to ethics that have been introduced for the 2011 legislative session.
Descriptions of the bills are below:
HOUSE
1) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF ATTORNEYS”
What It Does: “Allows the state ethics commission to employ or retain its own attorneys.”
Introduced By: House Speaker
2) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO MANDATORY ETHICS TRAINING”
What It Does: “Adds certain administrative directors, department heads, and other high-level state positions to the enumerated list of people required to complete mandatory ethics training.”
Introduced By: House Speaker
3) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO VIOLATIONS OF THE LOBBYISTS LAW”
What It Does: “Amends section 97-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to omit the requirement of wilful conduct.”
Introduced By: House Speaker
4) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO COUNTY ETHICS COMMISSIONS”
What It Does: “Provides standards for the selection of county ethics commission members to ensure their impartiality and independence.”
Introduced By: Rep.
5) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO ETHICS”
What It Does: “Requires lobbyists and their clients to make monthly disclosures during any month the legislature is in session, and a report for June 1 through December 31. Adds required disclosures regarding lobbying events, contractual relationships with legislators, and campaign contributions. Requires the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislators to file their financial disclosures by January 31 after the beginning of the regular legislative session. Requires certain state employees to disclose contractual relationships with lobbyists and their clients.”
Introduced By: Rep. , Rep. , Rep. , Rep. and Rep.
6) The Bill:
Measure Title: “MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE AUDITOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, THE OMBUDSMAN, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION”
What It Does: “Appropriates funds to provide for the expenses of the Legislature, Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Ombudsman, and Ethics Commission.”
Introduced By: Rep.
7) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION”
What It Does: “Requires the ethics commission to retain, in electronic form for ten years, financial and gift disclosure statements filed by legislators, employees, and delegates to a constitutional convention and statements filed by lobbyists. Makes such documents public records for so long as the documents are available, either in paper or electronic form.”
Introduced By: Rep.
8) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO STANDARDS OF CONDUCT”
What It Does: “Requires continuing online ethics training for elected officials, elected members of the board of education, trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs, the governor, lieutenant governor, and executive department heads and deputies.”
Introduced By: Rep. , Rep. , Rep. , Rep. , Rep. and Rep.
SENATE
1) The Bill:
Measure Title: “PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO PROVIDE FOR A CITIZENS ASSEMBLY AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CITIZENS ASSEMBLY TO PROPOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY REVISIONS OR AMENDMENTS TO THE LAWS GOVERNING ELECTIONS, POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, CAMPAIGN FINANCE, ETHICS, REFERENDUM, REAPPORTIONMENT, LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION, AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE, AND TO ESTABLISH A REFERENDUM”
What It Does: “Proposes a constitutional amendment to provide for a citizens assembly and to authorize the citizens assembly to propose constitutional and statutory revisions or amendments to the laws governing elections, political campaigns, campaign finance, ethics, referendum, reapportionment, legislative process, public access to information, and campaign finance, and to establish a referendum.”
Introduced By: Sen.
2) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION”
What It Does: “Requires the ethics commission to retain, in electronic form for ten years, financial and gift disclosure statements filed by legislators, employees, and delegates to a constitutional convention and statements filed by lobbyists. Makes such documents public records for so long as the documents are available, either in paper or electronic form.”
Introduced By: Sen.
3) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO STANDARDS OF CONDUCT”
What It Does: “Requires continuing online ethics training for elected officials, elected members of the board of education, trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs, the governor, lieutenant governor, and executive department heads and deputies.”
Introduced By: Sen. , Sen. , Sen. and Sen.
4) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO COUNTY ETHICS COMMISSIONS”
What It Does: “Provides standards for the selection of county ethics commission members to ensure their impartiality and independence.”
Introduced By: Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Sen. and Sen.
5) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS”
What It Does: “Requires the state ethics commission to make available to every chair of a board or commission a copy of the most recent financial disclosure of board or commission members.”
Introduced By: Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Sen. and Sen.
6) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS”
What It Does: “Expands the conflicts of interests section of the state ethics code to include situations involving certain emancipated minors.”
Introduced By: Sen. , Sen. , Sen. , Senate President , Sen. and Sen.
7) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO ETHICS”
What It Does: “Requires lobbyists and their clients to make monthly disclosures during any month the legislature is in session, and a report for June 1 through December 31. Adds required disclosures regarding lobbying events, contractual relationships with legislators, and campaign contributions. Requires the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislators to file their financial disclosures by January 31 after the beginning of the regular legislative session. Requires certain state employees to disclose contractual relationships with lobbyists and their clients.”
Introduced By: Sen. and Sen.
8) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS”
What It Does: “Clarifies that charter schools that have their charter revoked or reauthorization denied may appeal to the board of education for a final decision; prohibits a relative of a designated head of a school or employee of a school from serving as the chair of the local school board; requires charter schools and their local school boards to develop internal policies and procedures consistent with ethical standards of conduct, pursuant to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes.”
Introduced By: Sen.
9) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF ATTORNEYS”
What It Does: “Allows the state ethics commission to employ or retain its own attorneys.”
Introduced By: Senate President
10) The Bill:
Measure Title: “Mandatory Ethics Training”
What It Does: “Adds certain administrative directors, department heads, and other high-level state positions to the enumerated list of people required to complete mandatory ethics training.”
Introduced By: Senate President
11) The Bill:
Measure Title: “RELATING TO VIOLATIONS OF THE LOBBYISTS LAW”
What It Does: “Amends section 97-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to omit the requirement of wilful conduct.”
Introduced By: Senate President
12) The Bill:
Measure Title: “MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE AUDITOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, THE OMBUDSMAN, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION”
What It Does: “Appropriates funds to provide for the expenses of the Legislature, Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Ombudsman, and Ethics Commission.”
Introduced By: Sen.
DISCUSSION: What are your thoughts on these measures? Will they ensure a more ethical Legislature? Join the conversation.*
