From Deseret News archives:

Ethics-reform issues that lawmakers will likely discuss

Published: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 12:49 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Some ethics reform likely to come before lawmakers next month:

• Banning gifts by lobbyists to legislators: Last year lobbyists gave lawmakers more than $280,000 in gifts, including meals and Jazz tickets.

• Personal use of campaign funds by lawmakers: One House member last year gave himself $6,000 from his campaign account, others pay for car repairs and buy new clothes.

• Limits to campaign contributions: Currently legislative, gubernatorial and other state office candidates can raise any amount of money from any source — opening up $30,000 donations in a governor's race, and some incumbent lawmakers getting 100 percent of their campaign cash from special interests who have business before the Legislature.

• Ethical wrongdoing: House and Senate members are the only ones who can bring an ethics complaint against a colleague, and that complaint is heard only by other House and Senate members.

• Redistricting: Every decade legislators redraw their own district boundaries, in effect picking their own voters.

• Conflicts of interests: Currently, legislators must vote on every bill, even if they have a clear conflict of interest.

Recent comments

To Jan: Its almost impossible to oust an incumbant with the...

George | Dec. 3, 2008 at 1:53 p.m.

Sorry George that you do not know that term limitations already...

Jan | Dec. 3, 2008 at 1:34 p.m.

Sorry but the UEA is a special interest group. They act just like a...

Anonymous | Dec. 3, 2008 at 12:57 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

When Boozer was shooting the free throws, why Sloan didn't substitute Mathew...

Letters: Global warming a lie

actions, I will be forced to be accountable for them. I refuse. I am an...

What's with the Utah fans flashing the double L sign?

@mark: So Sam da Ham... you were just making it up?" I'm a climate...

Utes excited to go to San Diego

"I have no idea why BYU fans are talking smack about bowl opponents. Even if...

TCU versus BSU unpopular

You say to "quit whining and play somebody." Isn't that what everyone is...

BoM translation remarkably consistent

Reading these comments, I start wondering-- Whatever happened to faith? Why...

Utes excited to go to San Diego

All those numbers when all you reall need to know is that BYU has beat Utah...

BYU eager for crack at Oregon State

All thos numbers when all you reall need to know is that BYU has beat Utah...

So Sam da Ham, when you said this: "Not so. Al Gore is poised to make...

Advertisements