SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1241

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

             Government Operations, March 20, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the citizen members of the legislative ethics board.

Brief Description:  Limiting political activities of citizen members of the legislative ethics board.

Sponsors:  Representatives Pennington, Appelwick, Carlson, D. Schmidt, Wensman, Linville and Mason; by request of Legislative Ethics Board.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  3/20/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chair; Hale, Vice Chair; Haugen and Horn.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  The Legislative Ethics Board was created in 1994 and consists of five citizen members, two senators, and two representatives.  The board issues advisory opinions and hears complaints with respect to legislators, legislative employees, and ethics in public service.

The citizen members of the Legislative Ethics Board are prohibited from holding or campaigning for partisan elective office or full-time nonpartisan office; serving as an officer of a political party or a political committee; allowing his or her name to be used, or making contributions, in support of or in opposition to any state candidate or ballot measure; or lobbying the Legislature with the exception of a member appearing before a legislative committee on matters pertaining to the board.  A citizen member of the board may serve as a precinct committee person.

A citizen member of the Legislative Ethics Board is not directly prohibited from making contributions or allowing his or her name to be used in connection with any legislative caucus campaign committee or any political action committee.  A citizen member of the board is also not prohibited from campaigning for a seat in the state Legislature within two years of serving on the board against an incumbent who was a respondent in a complaint before the board.

Summary of Bill:  The prohibition of a citizen member of the Legislative Ethics Board allowing his or her name to be used, or making contributions in support of, or in opposition to, any state candidate or state ballot measure is removed.  Instead, citizen members of the Legislative Ethics Board are prohibited from:  holding or campaigning for partisan elective office or for any full-time nonpartisan office; serving as an officer of a political party or political committee; allowing his or her name to be used or making contributions in support of, or opposition to, any legislative candidate, any legislative caucus campaign committee that supports or opposes legislative candidates, or any political action committee that supports or opposes legislative candidates; or lobbying the Legislature under circumstances that are not exempt from lobbyist registration and reporting.  Citizen members of the Legislative Ethics Board may serve as a precinct committee person.

In addition, citizen members of the Legislative Ethics Board may not hold or campaign for a seat in the state Legislature within two years of serving on the board if a citizen member opposes an incumbent who has been the respondent of a complaint before the board.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  No one.