Valentine planning 3 ethics measures

Lawmakers would be able to refer improper communications between their colleagues and members of the executive or judiciary branches to a House or Senate ethics committee under proposed legislation.

Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, the former Senate president, said the bill being drafted to make the change is one of three dealing with legislative ethics he plans to introduce this session.

Valentine said he realized last session that the rules that govern House and Senate members needed to be changed, after it was discovered that Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, had sent a letter to a judge complaining about the judge's ruling against one of his friends.

"There was no direction," Valentine said, about what to do about the letter. He said his bill, which he expects to introduce by the end of the week, would enact a joint rule of the Legislature allowing such situations to be referred to an ethics committee.

When Buttars' May 2007 letter to 4th District Judge Derek Pullan surfaced last session, Valentine removed Buttars as chairman of the Senate's Judicial Confirmation Committee and advised senators to watch what they say.

Buttars had already run into trouble last session for making comments deemed racist by some.

Buttars has been reinstated as the committee's chairman by Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, who defeated Valentine for the top spot after the November election. Valentine declined to discuss how Buttars' situation would have been different had the new rule been in place.

But Valentine said he will focus on that and two other ethics issues this session.

He wants to establish an independent panel to investigate ethics complaints against lawmakers, although he said under the Utah Constitution, any action against a lawmaker would still have to be taken by the Legislature.

And Valentine said he wants to see restrictions on the personal use of campaign funds, which now can be used however the recipient wants.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has announced a new commission that will also look at legislative ethics as part of its charge to examine why the state's voter turnout is so low.

Some lawmakers have also said they are planning to tackle ethics with their own legislation this session.

Valentine, who said he is still rounding up sponsors for his proposed legislation, said there's a chance some lawmakers may not want to act on ethics legislation until after the governor's commission report is completed.

"It could have that effect," Valentine said.

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