House Rules committee votes to report HR 6, a measure to add closure reports and narrow transparency exceptions for ethics complaints

The House Rules Committee voted 7-0 on April 3 to report HR 6, a resolution that would amend the House Ethics Rule to let the House Ethics Panel issue short public statements when an investigation is already public, require a nonidentifying closure report for each complaint, and add limited confidentiality exceptions.

The resolution is aimed at increasing transparency about how the House addresses ethics complaints while preserving the anonymity of complainants and respondents where appropriate. Supporters said it mirrors practices used by other Vermont regulatory bodies and neighboring legislatures.

Representative Malone, chair of the House Ethics Panel and chair of the House Judiciary Committee, told the committee HR 6 was driven by a desire for greater transparency after a high-profile matter last year. "We started thinking about how we might be more transparent," Malone said, adding the rule would let the panel "make limited comment" when the subject of a complaint is already publicly known. Malone described the panel's existing options—finding no reasonable grounds, stipulations and consent orders, or a hearing with a recommendation…