The Legislative Ethics Commission unanimously recommended that the 2020 General Assembly pass legislation prohibiting legislators and lobbyists from engaging in sexual and workplace harassment against legislative employees, other legislators, and lobbyists.

In past cases involving allegations of sexual harassment, the commission has followed more general ethics laws relating to the misuse of office.

The recommended change would add specific workplace protections into the legislative ethics law and categorize sexual harassment as ethical misconduct, punishable by fines or other sanctions.

The commission also recommended that the ethics law be amended to grant the commission the authority to adjudicate a complaint filed against a legislator, even if the legislator leaves office after the complaint is filed, as long as the complaint is based on action that occurred not more than a year prior to the day the legislator left office.

During the 2019 session, several bills relating to sexual harassment were filed but none were approved by the legislature.