On August 16, the Ethics Review Board of New Orleans voted unanimously to recommend the city’s Code of Ethics be revised to bar City Council members and candidates from accepting political contributions from utility firms regulated by the city.

These firms would include Entergy New Orleans, Cox Communications, and any vendor that works on a contract awarded by the City Council or the Sewerage and Water Board.

Additionally, the recommended rule would ban contributions from any political action committee or executive staff member of the firms.

On August 31, the Arizona Corporation Commission held a workshop to develop a code of ethics for the commission. Commission staff presented an overview of various Arizona statutes and rules covering open meetings, conflicts of interest, financial disclosures, gifts, and lobbyists, according the commission’s press release.

The Arizona Corporation Commission is responsible for the regulation of public utilities, the oversight of incorporation or registration of companies wishing to do business in Arizona, the registration of securities offerings and dealers, and the enforcement of railroad and pipeline safety. The five commissioners making up the commission are elected officials.

The code of ethics will next be considered by the commission’s Ethics Committee on September 15.

Pierce County Council recently passed an ordinance amending the county’s code of ethics to remove existing restrictions on lobbying. Prior to the passage of the ordinance, lobbyists were required to register and file activity reports.

The ordinance became effective March 28, 2016

Yesterday a bill was introduced into the Nevada Assembly establishing for lobbyists both a mandatory code of ethics and voluntary rules of conduct. The code of ethics addresses inaccurate information given to members of the Legislature and conflicts of interests with clients.

In addition, the code of ethics in Assembly Bill 0314 specifically addresses lobbyist contracts, including requiring compensated lobbyists to enter into a written contract with clients spelling out the amount of compensation, and requiring the contract to include provisions concerning whether and how, if applicable, expenses of the lobbyist will be reimbursed.

The bill creates a “Rules of Conduct” statement to be given to a lobbyist upon registration. The lobbyist may voluntarily sign the statement if he or she wishes. Additionally, the legislation requires the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau to provide training on the Nevada Ethics in Lobbying Act before each regular and special session of the Nevada Legislature.

AB 0314 would also require the suspension of a lobbyist’s registration for certain violations and sets forth the periods for which a lobbyist’s registration must be suspended.

Voters in three Broward County cities will be asked to undo part of the recently enacted countywide code of ethics. Residents of Wilton Manors, Hillsboro Beach, and Sea Ranch Lakes will all vote during the January 31, 2012 election as to whether local elected officials should be subjected to state law on issues relating to their side jobs instead of the new county code of ethics.

The effort to pass the referendum has been spearheaded in large part by Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick. Resnick, a telecommunications attorney who lobbies in other cities in Broward County, fears he will be unable to run for another term in office after his current term is complete due to the ban on elected officials also being employed as lobbyists or engaging in lobbying activities in Broward County.

The code of ethics became effective countywide on January 2, 2012.

A contentious meeting of the Broward County Commission has resulted in a new code of ethics law for the county. The new law bars county commissioners and family members from accepting lobbyist gifts. It also establishes a new Office of Inspector General.

For more coverage of this breaking news:

“Broward Ethics Reform Passes After Shouting Match,” by Carey Codd at CBS 4.

“Gnashing of teeth, tongue-lashing, and ethics reform,” by Brittany Wallman in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.