Committees have further discussion of ethics legislation
House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh sent a letter to the heads of three committees ? Government Operations, State and Local Government and Finance Ways and Means ? asking them to hold the briefings this month to discuss the legislation drafted by a joint legislative committee.
Government Operations is scheduled first to discuss the proposed bill that covers three broad areas: the creation of an independent ethics commission, increased disclosure and regulation of lobbyists and reform of campaign finance laws.
“This will allow them the time between now and when we come back to read the bill and get questions answered,” said Naifeh, D-Covington.
Gov. Phil Bredesen has said a special session on ethics will likely start right before the regular session of the 105th General Assembly begins on Jan. 10.
The two other committees are scheduled to meet next week.
A large part of the discussion Wednesday was about clarifying who should be registered as a lobbyist and who shouldn’t. The way the bill is drafted, anyone who receives reimbursement should be registered. If not, then that person could be fined.
However, some lawmakers gave examples of constituents who may occasionally travel to the Legislature on behalf of a grassroots organization and are reimbursed for gas. Rep. Beverly Marrero said such individuals should be exempt from regulation.
“How is the average person going to know they’re not doing something wrong?” the Memphis Democrat asked.
Dick Williams, chairman of the government watchdog group Tennessee Common Cause, said the issue is one his group has struggled with for a while and should be addressed.
“We need to craft language that clearly exempts the people we need to, but does not open a wide loophole,” Williams said.
The committee touched on other issues that had been heavily debated by the joint committee, such as banning cash campaign contributions to candidates and political action committees. Some members felt small cash contributions were feasible. A measure that would have allowed contributions up to $50 was defeated by the joint committee.
Another hot topic of the Government Operations Committee, which examines the rules and regulations of agencies, was the formation of the independent ethics commission.
Some members questioned why such a commission is necessary when the registry of election finance has similar regulatory duties.
“What issues mandate an ethics commission in addition to the registry?” asked Rep. Henri Brooks, D-Memphis. “Can we fold what the registry does into the commission?”
But the Legislature’s legal staff, which fielded members’ questions, said the joint committee felt the registry has its hands full regulating campaign finance and lobbyists and that another entity is needed to focus on ethics.
“The committee felt the topic was so important it needed a separate entity to regulate,” said Ellen Tewes, the Legislature’s chief attorney.