News from the Senate Majority

Alaska State Legislature

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
web site at http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

For Immediate Release: April 21, 1997 Contact: Benjamin Brown at 907/465-4823

Legislation to Amend and Clarify Ethics Code Passes Senate

Raises Executive Standards to the Same Level as Legislature

Juneau -- The Alaska State Senate passed legislation on a reconsideration vote of 17 to 2 Monday to update the Legislative Ethics Act and address a variety of concerns identified by the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics. Senate Bill 105 also raises ethics standards for the executive branch, and will require the governor, his cabinet and other appointed personnel to adhere to the same high standards already in place for the Legislature.

"SB 105 is a real step in the right direction. It will allow the public, legislators and our ethics committee to better understand the ethics code and what conduct is expected from their elected legislators," said Senator Drue Pearce, Co-Chair Senate Finance.

The Legislature began to operate under a new ethics code four years ago. For the most part, this law has worked well. However, according to both the public and legislative members of the ethics committee, the law contains some ambiguities that have made following and enforcing parts of the law more difficult than necessary.

The Senate Rules Committee introduced SB 105 at the request of the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics. Senate Rules Chairman Tim Kelly noted that, in addition to making the legislative ethics law work better, SB 105 will require the governor and other appointed officials to operate under the same conflict of interest and ethics rules that cover legislators.

"This will help level the playing field by ensuring that legislators, the Governor, commissioners, directors, and certain staff will be required to report using the same forms, at appropriate times, to the Alaska Public Offices Commission and oversight committees," said Kelly.

The Legislature answers to the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics, which is made up of five public members, and four members from the Legislature. SB 105 would transfer authority to oversee executive branch ethics from the politically-appointed Attorney General to the governor-appointed and legislatively-confirmed public members of the State Personnel Board. The executive branch will be required to answer to this independent public group.

Senator Pearce noted, "Because the governor is the most powerful person in the State of Alaska, it is important that all complaints against administrative officers and elected officials at the administrative level are reviewed by an independent public board, and not just by his political allies and appointees in the executive branch."

Other key changes made by SB 105 include:

• A prohibition on the practice of what is known as ‘spousal lobbying’ which includes lobbying activity by legislators' spouses and spousal equivalents.
• A requirement for legislative employees and certain executive branch employees paid at a Range 19 or higher to file conflict of interest reports with APOC.
• A total ban on fund-raising for state office campaigns, for the governor, lieutenant- governor, and all legislators, during legislative sessions.

Senator Jerry Mackie (D-Craig), has served on the ethics committee for the last four years. "The original ethics law is not straightforward and easy to understand," said Mackie. "The ethics committee has experienced a lot of frustration and difficulty in trying to interpret what the law means. It is important we pass this legislation to clarify the obscure areas so it becomes a law that people can understand and more easily follow."

The 20th Alaska Legislature is committed to ensuring the highest level of ethical behavior, not only in the legislative branch, but throughout state government. SB 105 will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration.

###

Broadcast Note: Radio Actualities are available by calling 800/478-6540