The State Ethics Commission is losing an influential attorney who was recently silenced by the commission’s director.

Attorney Cathy Hazelwood said she will leave the commission after 15 years of service to work at the Department of Education under Republican Superintendent-elect Molly Spearman.Hazelwood was a go-to source for interpretation of ethics laws and media frequently sought her expertise when ethics complaints were filed against public officials.

However, the commission recently created a policy to channel all media inquiries to the director, Herb Hayden.

The policy came close to a year after Hazelwood publically disagreed with Hayden over how to handle an ethics case involving Governor Nikki Haley.

The commission is advertising for a new attorney to fill the position.

Today, the Ohio House of Representatives adjourned sine die, having concluded it regular floor session on December 17. The Senate had previously adjourned sine die on December 18. Among the bills passed by both chambers of the Legislature is a redistricting plan to be voted on by Ohioans in November of 2015.

Photo of the Ohio Statehouse by Urban on Wikimedia Commons.

On December 22, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices’ proposed rule amendment increasing the threshold amount of payment triggering lobbyist registration to $2,500 for 2015 and 2016 was adopted. The payment threshold is adjusted by an inflation factor determined by the commissioner. The previous threshold amount was $2,450 for the calendar years 2013 and 2014.

On December 19, the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission issued a statement regarding the court ruling earlier this month invalidating the statutory definition of political committee. On December 5, a federal judge declared the state’s definition of political committee “vague, overbroad, and consequently unconstitutional in violation of the First Amendment.” In Galassini v. Town of Fountain Hills, Senior District Judge James A. Teilborg of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, relied on his prior determination finding A.R.S. §16-901(19) unconstitutional.

In its statement, the commission says, “We strongly recommend that candidates and other persons who participate financially in state and legislative candidate elections continue to make filings as required by law, subject to enforcement under the Clean Elections Act and Rules.”

Del. Joseph D. Morrissey announced he has resigned his seat, prompting a special election on January 13, 2015. The lawmaker entered an Alford plea on a misdemeanor count of contributing to the deliquency of a minor, acknowledging sufficient evidence for a conviction but not admitting guilt. The charge stems from an alleged relationship with a 17-year-old receptionist in his office.

Morressey plans to run in the special election to regain the House District 74 seat, leaving the decision of whether or not he should be removed from office to the voters.

Photo of Joseph D. Morrissey by Cliff on Wikimedia Commons.

City Council has directed staff to draft an ordinance to require all lobbyists and others involved in municipal business to register with the city.

Council broadened the original proposal by Councilmember Sue Himmelrich and Mayor Pro Tem Tony Vazquez to require registration not only for those benefiting directly from city business, but any entity weighing in on issues. Councilmember Pam O’Connor wants registration required for everyone from local neighborhood representatives with issues before City Council to paid lobbyists.

Following a unanimous vote, the Office of the City Attorney was directed to begin researching, but not to hurry the process.

The New York City Campaign Finance Board experienced a phishing attack of its email system this morning.

The board instructs any users who have received an email from any staff member referencing an “Invoice Paid” in the subject line to delete the message immediately. Call (212) 409-1800 with questions.

On Monday, December 15, Akron City Council voted 8-4 to raise campaign contribution limits for mayoral and council candidates. All limits will increase by $100.

Candidates for mayor and at-large council will be permitted to accept $750 per election and ward council candidates will be permitted to accept $500 per election. The city charter requires council to review the contribution limits every two years.

The new limits come just in time for next year’s election as all council seats as well as the mayoral seat will be on the ballot.

The Office of the Secretary State announced lobbying registration and reporting in Vermont is going digital. Beginning with the 2015-2016 biennium, registration and reporting will be accomplished solely through a new online management system.

Lobbyist disclosure reports due on January 25, 2015, covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 2014, will be the last paper filings accepted.

The online system will be available for use no later than January 1, 2015.

At its December 17 meeting, the Hawaii State Ethics Commission will consider amending its interpretation of certain conflict of interest provisions. Legislators and employees are prohibited from assisting or representing any person or business for compensation on matters in which they have participated or will participate in their state capacities, or on matters before their own state agencies. They are also subject to similar post-employment restrictions.

Currently, with regard to sections 84-14(B), (C), and (D) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Commission interprets the phrase “any person or business” to mean a third party; it does not include the legislator, employee, former legislator, or former employee.

Because the Commission’s current interpretation appears inconsistent with the plain meaning and underlying purpose of the law, however, the Commission’s staff recommends the Commission amend its interpretation. Under the new interpretation, “any person or business” will also include the legislator, employee, former legislator, or former employee.

If revised, the new interpretation will be effective July 1, 2015.

In its December 11, 2014, meeting, the New York City Campaign Finance Board approved rules implementing Local Law 116 of 2013, which permits candidates receiving public matching funds to receive contributions via text message.

The rules permit public funds to match the text message contribution once those contributions are paid via the contributor’s phone bill. The rules further establish record keeping requirements for text message contributions and a process to certify the identity of the contributor.

The rules will take effect 30 days after final publication in The City Record.

City Council passed the Oakland Government Ethics Act towards the end of an eight-hour meeting during the early hours of December 10.

In November, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to strengthen the city’s Public Ethics Commission (PEC). Measure CC, a charter amendment, gives the PEC authority to enforce the city’s lobbying laws and to levy fines in excess of $1,000 for violations.

The Oakland Government Ethics Act compliments the charter amendment by providing a new set of ethics rules including a revolving-door provision and a new lower annual gift limit of $250. Gifts from persons who do business or seek to do business with the city are further limited to $50 annually.

The legislation is effective immediately.

Republican Rep. Kris Crawford has vacated his seat in House District 63, a month after being elected unopposed to a fifth term.

Crawford said the commute to the state capital and his professional duties as a physician were wearing him out.

The primary will be February 24, 2015, followed by a special election on April 14.

A state House study panel considering ethics reforms has endorsed legislation to remove lawmakers’ ability to police themselves on legal issues. A similar bill failed in the Senate during the last legislative session.

The draft proposal unanimously approved by the panel would create a new independent commission to investigate allegations against public officers. Opponents to last year’s proposal believed the measure to be unconstitutional since the state constitution explicitly requires the House and Senate to discipline their own members.

Additional ethics bills have been prefiled to increase lobbying fees, change reporting dates, and remedy the unconstitutional definition of “committee” for campaign finance purposes. The decision to push several separate bills rather than an overall ethics reform measure is a significant difference from last session.