A citizens’ oversight committee to take on ethics-related issues will be studied by a committee of city council. City coalitions, including a group of organizations that are pushing a sunshine ordinance, are pushing for a city ethics commission in order to review issues having to do with campaign finance, regulation of lobbyists, and transparency.

Proponents say the ethics commission could be created by voters or the council. David Tristan, deputy executive director of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, will talk about what his commission does, and the forum will take up the possibility of creating an ethics commission in Santa Ana.

For information about the July 26, 2012 forum, email info@santaanacoalition.org.

The Fair Political Practices Commission has approved a change to simplify lobbyist reporting requirements for “drop-in” events.

The amendment to regulation 18640 allows appetizers and beverages to be excluded from the gift valuation for an official who does not stay for any meal or entertainment. The value of the gift is now any specific item, other than food, presented to the official and guest accompanying the official, if the official notifies the lobbyist in writing that the official did not stay for any meal or entertainment.

The amendment provides consistency with regulation 18946.2(e), which was previously amended to exclude the value of appetizers and drinks from the value of a gift received by an official who briefly appears or drops by an invitation-only event. Prior to the amendment, the value of the gift received was limited to the actual value of the food and beverages consumed by the official and guest, along with the value of any specific item received at the event.

Image of the Seal of California courtesy of Zscout370 on Wikipedia.

The Alaska Legislative Ethics Committee has issued an advisory opinion allowing incumbent legislators to sign pre-election pledges during re-election campaigns.

So long as the pledge is in exchange only for an endorsement or a promise of an endorsement it does not violate the Legislative Ethics Act. However, the committee also determined the signing of pre-election pledges in a quid pro quo exchange for a campaign contribution or a promise of a campaign contribution would violate the act.

Special interest groups often request candidates to take positions on certain topics by signing a pledge.

Lobbyists and people who do business with Baltimore County, Maryland will no longer be allowed to give sports tickets to public officials.

County Council unanimously approved revisions to the county ethics law in order to comply with state standards.

The revision was in response to the state ethics commission’s finding that the county ethics measure (Bill No. 75-11) did not meet the state’s required standards.

The commission studying state campaign finance laws is likely to recommend raising the limits on campaign contributions.

At Monday’s meeting, the commission took no formal vote on a final recommendation, but appeared to reach a consensus on raising the total amount an individual may contribute to state election campaigns from the current $10,000 to $25,000 during a four-year election cycle. The commission also reached consensus on raising the current limit to any single candidate from $4,000 to at least $5,000 and possibly to $7,000 in any four-year election cycle. The current contribution limits have been in place for 19 years.

At the next meeting on July 16, 2012, the commission plans to discuss a total ban on contributions from business corporations and from companies doing business with the state.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission has issued an opinion allowing a new independent group, Alaska Deserves Better (ADB), to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money in this year’s elections. Although the commission’s director said the advisory opinion is specific to ADB and the way it plans to operate, the decision seems to be relevant for other independent committees.

Under current state law, groups such as ADB may receive, each year, contributions of no more than $500 from an individual and $1,000 from a different group. Additionally, groups may not receive contributions from an individual who is not a resident of the state, or from a foreign national.

With the exception of the foreign national restriction, the opinion acknowledges laws prohibiting independent expenditures by corporations and labor unions are likely unconstitutional in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010. As a result, ADB, an independent expenditure group, can obtain contributions in unlimited amounts, with no restriction on the amounts or sources.

The commission acknowledges that without a ruling from a court or a change in legislation, there will not be clarity in the state’s campaign contribution law.

The San Diego Ethics Commission is meeting June 14, 2012 to discuss a prepared draft of municipal code amendments concerning campaign related issues, including one which pertains to the lobbying ordinance. Decision point 14 would amend applicable provisions of the lobbying ordinance to require the disclosure of contributions provided to, and fundraising performed for, committees that are primarily formed to support city candidates.

The draft amendments are available on the commission’s website.

The public is invited to provide comment on the proposed amendments at the June 14, 2012, meeting, which will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the committee room on the 12th floor of the city administration building. Correspondence may also be sent by e-mail at: ethicscommission@sandiego.gov.

Photo of the San Diego skyline by Tomcio77 on Wikipedia.

House District 28 is vacant following the resignation of Michael Harden.

The Secretary of State’s office has notified local officials to inform them there will not be a special election because the House is not in session.

The seat will be an open one on the ballot for the July 31st primary and for the November 6th general election.

Republican voters will answer whether they want to limit how much lobbyists spend on state lawmakers. State Senator Josh McKoon said party officials have agreed to include the non-binding advisory question on the July 31st primary ballot.

Senator McKoon filed legislation earlier this year that would have set a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers and set a limit of $750 for travel, meals, and accommodations for conferences and speaking engagements for legislators. While the bill did not have much support among lawmakers, the ballot question is a chance to survey voter opinion of the issue.

Quebec’s Lobbying Commissioner, François Casgrain, has proposed a major overhaul of the province’s law on lobbying that would expand the number of people required to register as lobbyists. Currently, only people who spend a “significant part” of their time lobbying must register. The proposed changes would require anyone seeking to influence the decision of a public official to register.

Registration would have to be completed by individual lobbyists, ending the practice of employers registering for them. Casgrain wants to expand the enforcement powers of the commission and increase fines for breaking the law. There also would be a blackout on lobbying between publication of a call for tenders on a public contract and the awarding of the contract.

The call for change follows a finding that some parties failed to register as lobbyists during negotiations of a controversial contract award for the still-unbuilt arena.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto is preparing legislation in response to the alleged pay-to-play scandal at the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office. The bill, AB 404, would require tax agents to register as lobbyists in counties already regulating lobbying.

Tax agents are hired by property owners to persuade appraisers and the assessor that property values are lower than listed. While the bill leaves it up to the counties to craft specific regulations, the draft regulations would require tax agents to register as lobbyists with the county, would forbid them from making campaign contributions to any county elected official, and would also bar them from giving gifts worth more than $50 to county employees.

The district attorney’s office is investigating allegations that one tax agent, Ramin Salari, used contributions to obtain favorable treatment from Assessor John Noguez. A former appraiser, Scott Schenter, claimed to have cut roll values with the expectation that affected property owners would be more likely to donate to Noguez’s campaign.

Governor Martin O’Malley has ordered the General Assembly to convene a special session on May 14th.

Lawmakers are expected to pass legislation regarding state revenues and income-tax increases.

The special session became necessary after a stalemate during the regular session between the House and Senate.

The photo of the Chamber of the Maryland House of Delegates courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The Alaska House of Representatives adjourned the special session on Monday following the Senate’s adjournment last week.

While lawmakers passed a bill pertaining to human trafficking, the governor pulled his oil tax measure after the bill appeared to be going nowhere.

The Senate adjourned claiming that the governor’s removal of a bill on a special session call, while the session was under way, ended the session.

Members of the Alaska House of Representatives are considering their next step after the Senate abruptly adjourned from the special session on Friday.

The Senate adjourned following the Governor’s decision to pull an oil tax bill, which was one of two measures on the special session agenda.Under the state Constitution, the House could remain in session, forcing the Senate to return every three days.

It is not clear how soon a decision will be reached or announced.

Photo of the Alaska State Capitol by Kevin Lam on Wikipedia.