Clark's proposals for ethics reform

• Ban most gifts, including meals, to lawmakers. Exceptions for small gifts, valued at $5 or $10; and exceptions for gifts, like a meal or sporting event, in which all 104 members of the Legislature are invited, or when a legislator is invited to a dinner/speaking event.

• Eliminate personal use of campaign funds for retired legislators. Retired lawmakers could still give leftover campaign funds to things like charities or political parties or other candidates, just not to themselves.

• Place caps on campaign individual contributions — likely differing amounts for candidates, political parties and PACs. Require a 72-hour electronic notice of all contributions accepted by a state office candidate. Any kind of professional work accepted by a legislator, like accounting or legal work, must be declared as an in-kind contribution to the legislator.

• One-year prohibition before a legislator leaving office can become a registered, or paid, lobbyist.

• Reform the Legislature's current internal ethics complaint/hearing process.

The reform on ethics complaints may take longer than the 2009 Legislature, said Rep. Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara, incoming speaker of the House, but it still should remain within the domain of the Legislature itself and not shipped out to some outside commission or entity.