New disclosure reports for lawmakers unveiled
Before FBI agents arrested four sitting lawmakers in May on charges of accepting bribes, members of the General Assembly had already strengthened some ethics laws after revelations that then-Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis, was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees by state contractors.
One of the reforms passed in April was changing what General Assembly members must publicly report about themselves. The new forms were unveiled this week and must be completed and returned to the Registry of Election Finance by Jan. 31.
“When I’m speaking to groups right now, I remind them we have already passed a pretty strong ethics bill,” state Senate Majority Leader Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said.
Members of the General Assembly must now report all sources of income of $200 or more, including the name and address of the business the money came from.
Previously the threshold for reporting income was $1,000 and the source did not have to be specifically named, and income was often reported in broad categories, such as “insurance.”
Another new feature of the law requires legislators to list any positions they hold, or have held, with any business, nonprofit organization or school.
House Majority Leader Kim McMillan, D-Clarksville said House members will have help completing the new forms.
McMillan, who sponsored the legislation, said the federal Tennessee Waltz sting operation may have overshadowed the earlier ethics bill.
“Having those members arrested was a black eye, no question about it,” she said. “It’s important that the public remembers that we had passed legislation the National Conference of State Legislatures called the toughest in the nation. It’s good to be No. 1 in something positive.”
Dick Williams, spokesman for government watchdog group Tennessee Common Cause, said what remains to be seen is how well lawmakers complete the forms.
“It looks as though they’ve captured everything that the law requires,” Williams said of the form. “Its effectiveness lies in how well they fill them out.”
The new disclosure applies only to members of the General Assembly, but a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Bredesen said executive branch officials are required to do more reporting than required by law.
Bredesen, members of his staff, Cabinet and some high-level state department managers are required by an executive order to complete conflict of interest disclosures in addition to the one required to be filed with the Registry of Election Finance.
The executive branch form, which must be filed in July, requires disclosure of financial interests in businesses, real estate, involvement in litigation with the state, debts of more than $5,000 and any criminal history of the official and their family members.
In addition to the public disclosure changes made in April, lawmakers also tightened other rules.
Under the measure passed last April, officials who take money from those doing business with or seeking to do business with government are guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Violators could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and never hold office again.
It also requires spouses of lawmakers – along with most state employees – to disclose any lobbying or consulting deals.
The General Assembly is scheduled to meet in special session Jan. 10 to consider an ethics bill that would create an independent ethics commission, place tighter regulations on lobbyists and restrictions on campaign contributions.
Legislators must provide closer look at finances, activities
A new statement of interests form for members of the Tennessee General Assembly was unveiled this week by the Registry of Election Finance. The completed forms are due Jan. 31. The new forms requires lawmakers to reveal more than ever before, including:
– Sources of income $200 or greater, including the name and address of the business. Previously only sources of income $1,000 and higher had to be reported and no specific source had to be named.
– Positions, such as director, trustee, board member or corporate officer, held or formerly held in any business, non-profit organization or school. Previous disclosure forms did not require this information.
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Source: Registry of Election Finance
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On the Net:
Registry of Election Finance: http://www.tennessee.gov/tref/