Title: An act relating to terms of members of ethics boards.

Brief Description: Changing the terms for nonlegislative members of the legislative ethics board.

Sponsors: Senators McCaslin and Kastama.

Brief History:

State Government Operations & Accountability: 2/22/06 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ACCOUNTABILITY

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Haigh, Chair; Green, Vice Chair; Nixon, Ranking Minority Member; Clements, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hunt, McDermott, Miloscia, Schindler and Sump.

Staff: Kasa Tupua (786-7291).

Background:

The Executive Ethics Board enforces the state ethics law with respect to employees of the executive branch of government, while the Legislative Ethics Board enforces the ethics law with respect to legislators and legislative employees.

The Executive Ethics Board consists of five members appointed by the Governor:

• one classified service employee;
• one exempt state officer or state employee; and
• three citizen members.

Except for initial members and members completing partial terms, members serve a single five-year term. Staff is provided by the Office of the Attorney General.

The Legislative Ethics Board consists of nine members:

• two senators;
• two members of the House of Representatives; and
• five citizen members.

Legislative members serve two-year terms, and except for initial members and members completing partial terms, non-legislative members serve a single five-year term.

Summary of Bill:

Members of the Executive Ethics Board and non-legislative members of the Legislative Ethics Board may serve two five-year terms.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Board members are charged with many functions, such as investigating ethics complaints, and interpreting and enforcing the ethics law. These functions require considerable amount of time to understand the ethics rules and cases. Currently, board members are limited to a single five-year term. A second five-year term will allow board members to apply any new skills and understandings of their functions, and to train new board members.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Hunter Goodman, Attorney General's Office.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.