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Ethics committee asks staff to study adding part‑time employee as outside‑counsel costs rise; training reaches 300+ participants
Summary
The committee directed Administrator Kevin Reeve to study adding a part‑time staff member and report scope and costs after outside‑counsel expenses rose; staff reported over 300 people completed ethics training, including 49 legislators.
At its Jan. 31, 2025 meeting, the Alaska State Legislature Select Committee on Legislative Ethics directed Administrator Kevin Reeve to explore adding a part‑time employee to help with workload and to return to the committee with a scope‑of‑work and budget report.
Senator Matt Claman moved that Administrator Kevin Reeve "explore and to bring the results back to the committee the possibility of adding a part-time employee to the budget." Representative Alyse Galvin asked for a report that includes the scope of work, current FY 24‑25 budget figures and projected FY 25‑26 costs; Public Member Skip Cook requested that catching up meeting minutes be included in the proposed scope. Senator Claman amended his motion; the amendment was adopted by unanimous roll call vote.
The motion followed a budget briefing in which Administrator Kevin Reeve said expenses for outside counsel Brent Cole were higher than expected but a salary surplus from the vacant administrator position partly offset those costs. Conner Thomas noted additional outside counsel costs related to an ongoing matter scheduled for argument before the Alaska Supreme Court on Feb. 8, 2025.
On training, Administrator Kevin Reeve reported that in‑person ethics training was offered this year to close perceived knowledge gaps. "To date, over 300 individuals have completed training, including 49 of the legislators," Reeve said. Trainings for legislators and legislative employees are scheduled for Feb. 3 and Feb. 6, 2025. Representative Alyse Galvin and Chair Joyce Anderson thanked staff for the training effort.
The committee asked the Ethics Office to return with the requested budget materials and scope of work; no final hiring decision was made at the Jan. 31 meeting.
