Gov. Doug Burgum and Senate leadership selected Ron Goodman, Ward Koeser, Cynthia Lindquist, Paul Richard, and David Anderson to North Dakota’s new state government ethics commission.

The candidates verbally accepted their appointments after the selection meeting.

Their terms will begin on September 1, with Goodman and Lindquist serving four-year terms.

Anderson will serve a three-year term, and Koeser and Richard will serve two-year terms.

The selection committee chose Goodman as chairman to convene the commission’s first meeting in September.

The Ethics Commission Selection Committee narrowed down the field of candidates from 24 to 17.

However, the July 1 deadline is being pushed back.

Gov. Doug Burgum stated there will be two more meetings in July to reach the final five candidates.

In order to be appointed to the ethics commission, a candidate must be unanimously approved by the governor, senate majority leader, and senate minority leader.

Top North Dakota officials are working towards forming a new panel to oversee ethical standards in state government as a result of last year’s passage of Measure 1.

Gov. Doug Burgum’s office is accepting applications for the new ethics commission through May 24 and hopes to have members selected by July 1.

The five commissioners will be chosen by consensus agreement of the governor and the Senate’s majority and minority leaders.

The state constitution bars certain people from serving on the commission including lobbyists, political party officials, and those who hold statewide elected or appointed office.

Gov. Doug Burgum signed the last 53 bills remaining from the 2019 North Dakota legislative session, including House Bill 1521 and Senate Bill 2148.

House Bill 1521 establishes an ethics commission to hold state elected officials and legislators accountable.

The bill also requires a lobbyist who expends an amount greater than $200 for the purpose of lobbying to file a report with the Office of Secretary of State.

The report must include the source of the funds and prohibits a lobbyist from giving, soliciting, or facilitating a gift to a public official with a value of over $60.

Additionally, the bill requires any person who expends an amount greater than $200 to influence state government action file a report with the Office of Secretary of State on or before August 1.

The sections of House Bill 1521 establishing an ethics commission became effective on May 2, while the sections on report filing become effective on January 5, 2021.

Senate Bill 2148 requires the legislative management to study the implementation and requirements of Article XIV of the Constitution of North Dakota.

The study concerns the transparency of funding sources, lobbyists, responsibilities of the ethics commission, and a review of existing laws and laws enacted to implement Article XIV.

The legislative management must report its findings and recommendations to the 67th Legislative Assembly, with any legislation necessary to implement the recommendations.

Senate Bill 2148 becomes effective on August 1.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum finalized an ethics policy that applies to the governor, lieutenant governor, and employees of the governor’s office.

According to the new policy, lobbyists who request a meeting with the governor’s office will be encouraged to bring a principal of his or her client to the meeting. The policy also addresses conflicts of interests and gifts and honoraria.

No gift of any value may be accepted if offered with the intent to directly or indirectly influence the exercise of official action.

Any gift greater than $50 must be reported to the ethics officer and returned to the donor or given to charity.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the Legislative Management Committee voted 12-4 in favor of filing a lawsuit in North Dakota’s Supreme Court in response to Gov. Doug Burgum’s vetoes of legislation.

Legislators are upset over the governor’s use of his line-item veto to change parts of several spending bills, arguing that the intent of the legislation was changed by the deletion of the words and phrases.

Lawmakers argue their legislative authority to spend money has been violated, while the executive branch contends its executive authority is being violated by the challenge.