Commissioners debate whether 'personal interest' language is too broad

A substantial portion of the meeting centered on the draft's definition of "personal interest" and whether the phrasing could be overbroad. Committee member (S3) warned the clause could be used to disqualify people active in particular policy areas, saying, "Personal interest needs a nonfinancial interest relationship or benefit that could be expected to impair independence of judgment or creating the appearance of impaired independence. That is scary." Several commissioners recommended removing the word "interest" to tighten the definition and proposed using 'relationship or benefit' instead.