SOUTH BEND — Under proposed new ethics rules for Indiana government, the legislative branch, executive branch and lobbyists all would be held to high new standards, according to Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend.

“We want even treatment,” Bauer said today during a news conference at his South Bend home.

The proposal covers three areas:

Legislative branch: Lobbyists would be required to report any gift of more than $50 (the current limit is $100) to a legislator, legislative candidate or legislative employee. Any individual who holds a stated elected office would be prohibited from registering as a lobbyist for a year after leaving office. And lobbyists would be prohibited from representing multiple clients if there is a conflict of interest between those clients.

Executive branch: Any individual appointed to a position in the executive branch by the governor would not be allowed to register as a lobbyist for one year after leaving the post. Committees representing the governor or any candidate for that office would be prohibited from soliciting contributions or conducting fundraisers during the long session of the General Assembly or a time period around the legislature’s organizational day.

State contracts and contributions: People who have contracts with state government or bid on contracts would be prohibited from making political contributions to individuals who hold state office or run for state office. People who bid on or receive contracts would be required to register with the Indiana election division, which will make that information available to the public. Violators would face civil and criminal penalties, and the potential loss of their state contracts.

Ethics reform is expected to be a hot topic during the 2010 legislative session.

Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, announced last week that his caucus is working on an ethics reforms package, too.

Nearly 30 other states have “revolving-door” waiting periods for lawmakers, but similar proposals have never made it out of the Indiana General Assembly. Several former Indiana lawmakers have become registered lobbyists, including some who resigned and took lobbying jobs during the next legislative session.

The new rules are needed because the issues state leaders handle and relationships regarding those issues are becoming more complex, Bauer said.

Michigan legislators also are discussing an ethics reform bill. Michigan is one of only three states that has no financial disclosure laws for legislators.

Staff writer Margaret Fosmoe:
mfosmoe@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6329