Conflicts of Interests Act, State & Local Gov't & General Assembly, etc.; ethics reforms. (SB1424)

Introduced By

Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg) with support from 7 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke), Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke), Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax), Sen. Richard Stuart (R-Westmoreland), Sen. John Watkins (R-Midlothian), Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-Leesburg)

Description

State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act, and the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; ethics reforms. Authorizes the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council to (i) prescribe, receive, and review all disclosure forms required by the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act, and the lobbying laws; (ii) conduct annual audits of those disclosure forms; (iii) issue advisory opinions; (iv) grant waivers for certain travel and gifts; and (v) refer certain violations to the appropriate authority for assessment of civil penalties. The bill modifies the current composition of the Council, reducing the number of members from 15 to 10. The bill prohibits any single gift or any combination of gifts in a calendar year with a value exceeding $100 from any single source to those persons subject to the Conflicts of Interests Acts and members of their immediate family. Certain gifts are exempt from the $100 limit on gifts, including gifts from relatives, gifts received while in attendance at a personal celebration or a widely attended event, or travel-related gifts for which the Council granted a waiver. Gifts for which the filer has reimbursed the giver for the full value of the gift are not required to be disclosed. The bill removes the required disclosure forms from the Code, outlines the required information to be reported on the disclosure forms, authorizes the Council to prescribe the forms, and requires all disclosure forms be filed electronically with the Council. The bill also prohibits the Governor, his campaign committee, and any political action committee established on his behalf from knowingly soliciting or accepting a contribution, gift, or other item with a value greater than $50 from persons and entities seeking loans or grants from the Governor's Development Opportunity Fund, restricts such gifts and contributions from persons and entities seeking loans or grants from the Fund, and provides that any violation shall result in a civil penalty of $500 or up to two times the amount of the contribution or gift, whichever is greater. Read the Bill »

Outcome

History