Committee debates $1,000 civil-penalty change for constitutional ethics measure; seeks attorney general review

Members of the Government and Veterans Affairs Committee discussed proposed statutory changes to clarify enforcement and penalties related to a constitutional ethics measure under consideration in House Bill 2052. Representative Steiner recommended making the civil penalty assessed by the attorney general a single, one-time fine of up to $1,000 rather than a recurring penalty.

Representative Steiner said the original committee that helped flesh out penalties six years earlier intended a one-time civil penalty and proposed explicit statutory language to reflect that intent: "...we thought maybe we could just, we are in charge as the legislature to flesh out what the constitutional ethics measure does. So if we see an error with this or something that needs to be more clear, we have the authority to do it." Committee members debated whether the attorney general’s office or the appointed ethics commission should have authority to assess penalties. Some members expressed concern that an unelected ethics commission could impose recurring fines without the same electoral accountability as the attorney general.

Representative Vedder asked whether a one-time $1,000 penalty would be a meaningful deterrent for high-value lobbying or post-employment violations. Representative Steiner and others noted that if problems arise, the legislature could consider higher penalties or alternate sanctions in future sessions.

The committee asked staff to consult the attorney general’s office to clarify appropriate statutory language and to consider the deterrent effect of the penalty amount and enforcement mechanism. Representative Schneider and others volunteered to participate in the follow-up review. The committee did not take a vote on the proposed amendment and agreed to revisit the language after consultation with the attorney general.