The state’s ethics task force will wrap up its work on Thursday by finalizing its report to the governor.
The task force has already agreed on recommendations that include:
• Expansion of the voluntary public campaign financing system to the offices of attorney general, secretary of state, land commissioner, treasurer and auditor in 2010, and to the offices of governor and lieutenant governor in 2014.
• Campaign contribution limits equal to the federal limit of $2,300, with an exception for local governments that already have lower levels in place.
• Additional employees in the secretary of state’s office to help with faster notification and publishing online of campaign finance reports.
• Requiring employers to disclose lobbying contracts.
• Requiring lobbyists to wear identification badges.
• Forbidding ex-legislators from becoming lobbyists for a one-year period after they leave office.
• Creation of an ethics commission that can investigate allegations involving all three branches but can only make recommendations to the Judicial Standards Commission and Legislature for possible action against judges and lawmakers. The commission would have power to sanction executive-branch officials and, if the official being investigated is the governor, members appointed by the governor would not be involved.
• Endorsement of ethics-reform proposals made by the attorney general.
The group’s final meeting begins at 9 a.m. in room 307 at the Roundhouse in
Once the report is finalized, the governor’s office will review it and develop its own proposals. In addition, a legislative committee is scheduled to hold several meetings before the Legislature meets in January to review the proposals and other ethics-reform issues.