Senate OKs latest version of legislative ethics bill

Rounds of golf, Jazz tickets and similar gifts may need to be reported by legislators and lobbyists under the latest ethics bill considered by lawmakers.

In fact, most gifts above $10 — except food, which will remain at a $50 minimum for reporting — will have to be listed on disclosure reports under SB246, which was unanimously passed by the Senate Friday. A previous version of the bill would have only required the reporting of "tangible" gifts over $10 and exempted green fees or tickets.

As with previous versions of the bill, as well as a similar House bill, lobbyists will now have to report on a quarterly basis and legislators will have to file reports annually. There are also tightened guidelines about reporting travel, and lobbyists would no longer be able to split the costs of a gift to avoid the disclosure thresholds.

While some legislators wanted tougher restrictions — including Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, who unsuccessfully tried to substitute a version that would have banned gifts outright — the version passed is likely the only reform that will pass the full Legislature.

"If you look at what the House passed, this is something we can move through," sponsoring Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, said.

It is expected that the bill will move easily through the House, although it will most likely face amendment attempts from House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake. He sponsored HB178, which passed the House after being amended significantly by Republicans to a form very similar to SB246.

"It is a very small and modest step," he said. "Certainly, if we have more disclosure, that's of value, but with large loopholes I don't know if it satisfies the expectations for an arm's length relationship between lobbyists and legislators."

Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, who made the amendments to HB178, said that he expected the Senate's version of the bill to find relatively easy passage in the House next week.

"I don't think any of us have a problem with it," he said.

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