Gov. Larry Hogan introduced several legislative acts to state lawmakers on January 19, 2017, including the Public Integrity Act, the Liquor Board Reform Act, and the Legislative Transparency Act. The bills are seen as a reaction to conspiracy and bribery scandals lawmakers were involved with in 2016.

If approved, the Public Integrity Act would keep lawmakers from using legislation to help their own businesses, and also prohibit legislators, appointees, and other staff from working as a lobbyist within a year of exiting their posts. The Liquor Board Reform Act would require state senators to make the committee nominations. And, under the Legislative Transparency Act, the House and Senate would have to stream their sessions live via video. Currently, the sessions are live, but just in audio format.

The primary focus of the current special session is to pass a constitutional amendment allowing a statewide lottery (Senate Bill 11).

If the constitutional amendment passes, members of the Alabama Lottery Commission would be subject to the Ethics Law. Legislators are using the special session to introduce several ethics bills.

If all of the bills pass, any individual convicted of a felony would be prohibited from registering as a lobbyist (House Bill 32), any legislator indicted on a felony would be automatically suspended from any leadership position (House Bill 11), and public school employees would be allowed to accept gifts from students (House Bill 10).

South Carolina legislators sent two ethics bills to Gov. Nikki Haley yesterday.

One bill requires officeholders to report private sources of income. The other requires the State Ethics Commission to independently investigate complaints against lawmakers.

House and Senate ethics committees currently oversee campaign finance filings and handle complaints against their colleagues while the State Ethics Commission oversees all other public officials.

Missouri lawmakers sent legislation to the governor on Wednesday as part of the state’s attempt at ethics reform. One bill would create a revolving door provision, prohibiting legislators and statewide elected officials from lobbying until six months after their respective terms end. Because he has expressed a need for ethics reform since 2009, Gov. Nixon is likely to sign the bill.

Another piece of legislation still under consideration involves a potential ban on lobbyist gifts to public officials. The Senate recently voted on an amendment to remove the ban from the bill and, instead, to replace it with a $40 per-gift limit for each lawmaker.

House Bill 4134, a bill tightening timelines for reporting for lobbyist’s clients and lobbyist registration, has passed both the Oregon House and Senate, and will head to Gov. Brown’s desk for approval. The bill requires lobbyists to register within three business days after meeting the threshold instead of the current 10 day time period.

The bill also requires a client or employer of a lobbyist to sign an authorization for the lobbyist within 10 calendar days after the lobbyist files a registration statement.

The bill will become immediately effective if approved by Gov. Brown.

Gov. Dannel Malloy has signed a bill amending the code of ethics.

Senate Bill 850, now known as Public Act 15-15, creates an additional exception to the definition of expenditure, adds to the list of who is not included in the definition of a lobbyist, and raises the threshold for lobbyist registration from $2,000 to $3,000.

The new provisions are effective January 1, 2016.

Lawmakers met one final time Friday, April 17 to finalize the ethics reform bill passed at the close of the legislative session. Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed an amendment to change the gift limit from $100 per gift, but allowing an unlimited number of such gifts, to a $100 aggregate limit from any one source.

After correcting a drafting error in the amendment, both chambers unanimously passed the measure. The new limits go into effect on January 1, 2016.

After completing work on the bill, the General Assembly adjourned sine die.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Varmin on Wikimedia Commons.

The General Assembly reconvened Wednesday to review several proposed legislative amendments offered by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, including changes to the ethics reform bill. The bill, as sent to the governor, changes the lobbyist gift limit from $250 per year from any one source to $100 per gift.

The governor, fearing this would allow legislators to accept an unlimited number of gifts as long as they were less than $100 each, suggested a $100 per year limit from any one source. Lawmakers voiced their own concerns with the amendment, stating its wording could be construed to create a $100 lifetime limit.

Much to the dismay of some members, the General Assembly will meet again on Friday, April 17 to clarify the issue and hold a vote.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Anderskev on Wikimedia Commons.

The Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission held a day-long meeting on March 26 to consider rule changes and to conclude ethics complaints. The proposed rule changes are to aid in the implementation of ethics reforms passed nearly two years ago.

The new lobbyist gift law sets a $75 limit on some gifts, exempts other gifts, and completely prohibits any gift not otherwise limited or exempted. Lobbyists, public officials, and the public still have questions about how the limits are supposed to be followed.

The commission approved a rule to regulate lobbyist gifts to family members of public officials, but tabled rules about how often a lobbyist can give a $75 gift and whether multiple lobbyists can split the cost of a gift valued at more than $75.

The commission closed about two dozen ethics complaints, with another 220 cases yet to be decided. The next commission meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2015.

State Reps. Grier Martin and Rick Glazier introduced a bill in the North Carolina House of Representatives requiring public officials to recuse themselves from taking any official action if they are in a current dating or sexual relationship with a registered lobbyist who would financially benefit from the official action.

This legislation comes one month after the State Ethics Commission issued a ruling that sex between lobbyists and government officials does not constitute a gift in violation of state ethics law.

House Bill 252 was introduced March 17, 2015, and is currently in committee.

Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikipedia.

Gov. Nikki Haley and state House Speaker Jay Lucas are attempting to revive ethics reform after the Senate voted down a bill to overhaul ethics laws. Lucas expects the House to pass and send to the Senate an omnibus ethics bill combining several House bills previously passed separately.

House Bill 3722 would give the State Ethics Commission authority to investigate legislators, amend certain unconstitutional campaign finance definitions, and require additional transparency reporting by public officials.

The Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on Friday, February 27, 2015. Before adjourning, the legislature sent an ethics bill to the governor.

House Bill 2070 changes the $250 annual, aggregate gift limit to a $100 per-gift limit. However, the bill also contains a lengthy list of exceptions to the gift limit. Additionally, the bill creates an ethics council, but provides it with little power.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe spoke positively about the bill, but promised to look at it carefully due to the last-minute nature of its passage.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Anderskev in Wikimedia Commons.

Indiana House legislators unanimously approved a bipartisan ethics bill aimed at maximizing transparency in the General Assembly.

The reform bill broadens what legislators must disclose on financial interest statements and expands reporting requirements regarding lawmakers’ relationships with lobbyists. The bill also tightens the control over state employees seeking employment in the private sector with a company involved with the state.

The bill now heads to the Senate.

Photo of the Indiana Statehouse by HstryQT on Wikimedia Commons.

Lawmakers have passed a bill authorizing the Ethics Commission to oversee new ethics laws contained in a constitutional amendment passed by voters on November 4, 2014. The amendment prohibited lobbyist gifts and corporate contributions, but did not provide the Ethics Commission authority to administer the constitutional changes.

House Bill 1002 allows the Ethics Commission to interpret the changes by issuing advisory opinions and guidelines. The bill will be effective immediately if signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson.

Photo of the Arkansas State Capitol by Stuart Seeger on Wikimedia Commons.