KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Legislature passes ethics bill

Legislature passes ethics bill

by Bill McAllister
Saturday, May 12, 2007

JUNEAU, Alaska -- It was another big day at the Capitol today, with an ethics reform bill is on its way to Gov. Sarah Palin for her signature.

It was supposed to be done early in the session, but it took lawmakers 117 days to finish work on legislation that sets new rules on conflicts of interest and other ethical matters.

The omnibus ethics legislation, originally introduced on behalf of Palin, covers the conduct of legislators, staffers, members of the executive branch and lobbyists. It also includes a recently conceived ban on felons working as lobbyists.

The decision comes a day after a nearly unanimous vote on Palin's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.

The passage of the bill heartened lawmakers who had been dismayed by the unfolding public-corruption probe by the federal government.

Rep. Berta Gardner, D- Anchorage, said the ethics bill was well-crafted.

"Today is another day for celebration. I'm really, really pleased with the end product of House Bill 109, the ethics bill. I think it has all of the critical elements and a lot of clarifications and kind of little clean-ups, and I think it's a very good bill. It will serve us well," Gardner said.

Rep Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, said the bill was a product of legislative team work.

"This is really a landmark day for Alaska. It's a bill whose time had come. And I'd like to congratulate everybody for working together on this. It's been a bipartisan effort, both Republicans and Democrats working together to get this good legislation out," Lynn said. "I'm very, very happy about it. And we've talked about 'must haves' on AGIA. Well, I think this was a must have for the Legislature."

Palin said lawmakers turned in a solid bill.

"That was the intent at the beginning, rolling out our ethics reform package, kind of concentrating on the executive branch and then inviting them to use that as a vehicle to be added on to, to make sure that the legislative branch gets cleaned up also. They added a lot. I think it's a good package," Palin said.

Ethics legislation stalled when the House and Senate refused to consider each other's versions.

The Senate finally took up the House bill, and with new indictments of three current or former lawmakers last week, it quickly picked up steam.

Contact Bill McAllister at bmcallister@ktuu.com