Committee moves provisions of ethics bill into House shell, advances substitute bill

The committee voted to insert the language of Senate Bill 285 into a substitute for House Bill 2,060 and sent the substitute bill out of committee as amended. Committee members acted after a staff briefing that summarized two main changes in the Senate bill: an expansion of the kinds of nonprofit groups whose reimbursements legislators may accept, and new exceptions allowing certain executive-branch officials to accept free or discounted entertainment if the discount is not provided because of their official position or if the person’s presence serves a legitimate state purpose and payment would be authorized.

The bill summary was delivered by Charles, a committee staff member, who told members that under current law legislators may accept reimbursement for “actual expenses for travel and other expenses for attending meetings, programs, activities” from a limited set of organizations. Under the Senate measure, that list would be broadened to any nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that does not engage in lobbying in the state. Charles also described changes in a separate section affecting the governor, lieutenant governor, the governor’s spouse, executive-branch officers and employees, and members of executive-branch boards, commissions and authorities. He said the bill would allow two exceptions to the prohibition on accepting free or discounted entertainment: when it is “obvious to the person accepting the discount or free access that it's not being provided because of such person's official position,” or when the person’s attendance “serves a legitimate state purpose or interest and the person's agency would authorize payment.”

After the briefing the chair offered an amendment to place the contents of Senate Bill 285 into substitute for House Bill 2,060 so the topic could be carried forward with the House. The chair moved to insert SB 285 into House substitute Bill 2,060; Senator Reichman seconded the motion. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote. The chair then called for a motion to report the substitute for House Bill 2,060, as amended, favorable for passage; Senator Pettee moved that motion and it was seconded. The committee approved that motion by voice vote as well.

The committee described the action as creating a substitute bill containing the Senate language so the subject can continue to be considered in conference with the House. There was no roll-call vote recorded in the transcript; the record shows voice votes with members saying “aye” and “no” but does not show a tally by name.