Could this be the year state lawmakers finally get serious about their own ethics?

Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, thinks so. He has sponsored bills in years past aimed at curbing the number of gifts many lawmakers take shamelessly, only to see those bills squashed like insects. He's doing so again this year with a sense of optimism. And he has new allies in the House.

A group calling itself the Reagan Caucus, a name that distinguishes members from the right-wing of the Republican Party, is behind a series of bills that would institute ethics reforms. Among other things, they want to stop lawmakers from raising cash for their campaign funds, then using that money on themselves for things such as car repairs or shopping sprees at the local mall. In Utah, it is legal for a politician who retires to simply pocket the campaign funds he or she has left over. It's also legal to amass much more than is needed for an election, then begin doling the excess to other politicians in an effort to buy support for a leadership position or for a vote on a particular item.

Bell wants to reduce the gift-taking threshold from $50 to $15. Anything above that amount would require the lobbyist giving the gifts to publicly report the amount and the name of the legislator who received it. The $50 limit allows too many loopholes.

In each case, details need to be refined, but the ideas are sound and much-needed. It would be nice if the pressure of an election year would spur some real discussion, followed by the passage of meaningful bills that put an end to practices that would not be tolerated in many private businesses.

A common refrain through the years has been the indignant and defensive chorus of lawmakers who bristle at any suggestion they are less than honest. But the public should not be asked to believe that a person suddenly receives a change of DNA when elected, rendering him or her above reproach.

Business managers understand that most employees are honest, but many of them impose strict ethics rules none the less. They realize that a certain percentage of any population will be dishonest, and they want the rules of good behavior clearly stated and understood. The absence of strong ethics rules leaves all lawmakers under a cloud of suspicion.

This may be the year a majority of lawmakers finally gives in, cutting off their own supplies of cash and other gifts. If so, it will be a banner day for public trust and accountability in Utah.