Ralston introduces ethics legislation

By Cameron McWhirter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

House Speaker David Ralston unveiled his long-awaited ethics reform package Thursday, calling for a range of changes including renaming the State Ethics Commission, broadening the commission’s powers, tightening reporting requirements for lobbyists and legislators, and increasing fees and fines. It also would make abuse of power a punishable crime and prohibit lobbyists from emailing or texting legislators during meetings.

Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) told a House Ethics Committee meeting that his goal was more transparency so voters can decide if they approve of how officials are behaving.

“The best police force of public officials is the public,” he said.

The committee of Republicans and Democrats unanimously supported the changes.

The legislation falls short of earlier proposals that would have required legislators to report gifts, trips and meals from lobbyists, and would have capped lobbyist spending on legislators. Ralston’s proposal imposes no gift cap, but would require lobbyists to disclose gifts and meals they have provided legislators more frequently.

Common Cause Georgia, the nonpartisan group that lobbies for tighter ethics rules, blasted the bill. Bill Bozarth, the group's executive director, said Common Cause "is very disappointed."

"Given the public outrage over the subject of lobbyist wining and dining legislators, it should be unacceptable to the people of Georgia that this bill does nothing to address lobbyist gift limits," he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Though lawmakers have talked about ethics reform for months, Ralston did not present any specific reforms until Thursday morning. The changes were substituted into an ethics bill that already passed the Senate, thus avoiding the need to meet Friday's  "Crossover Day" deadline. Bills must pass one chamber by the 30th Legislative day to remain viable.

The revised bill still could come up for a vote by the full House as soon as Friday.  If it passes the House, it will be sent back to the Senate for consideration.

House Democrats, led by Rep. Mary Oliver (D-Decatur), proposed a series of amendments to the bill, including a $50 limit on lobbyist gifts to legislators (not including meals) and a  sexual harassment ban. All Democratic amendments failed in party-line votes.

When Ralston presented the legislation, he said: “My goal was not to make everybody happy. My goal was to fix problems.”

He said the legislation should show Georgia voters that “we can learn from our mistakes.”

Ralston’s proposed changes  include:

• Renaming the State Ethics Commissions the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. The commission would have the authority to investigate all public officials in the state, including those in local governments. The General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Ethics Committee would be abolished.

• Anyone would be allowed to file a complaint against an elected official, but if the commission ruled the case was frivolous, the person bringing the suit would have to pay the official’s legal fees.

• Requiring more frequent disclosures from lobbyists. The reporting period for disclosing spending on legislators would be shortened to 15 days from 30 days during the legislative session and to 30 days from three months when the Legislature is not in session.

• Lobbyists would be required to pay a $300 annual registration fee. Fines for violating rules would be increased.

• Financial disclosure requirements for legislators would be increased. Fines for officials and candidates who did not file would be increased.

• Lobbyists would not be allowed to email or text legislators when they were in session or committee. Legislators would be allowed to email lobbyists with questions, but not vice versa.

Ralston’s legislation, now on a fast track for passage by the House, comes after months of clamor for ethics reform following House Speaker Glenn Richardson's resignation last fall under what Ralston Thursday called "some unexpected and unprecedented circumstances." Richardson, once one of Georgia’s most powerful politicians, left office after his former wife alleged he had an affair with a lobbyist and had threatened to use state agencies to force his wife to reconcile.

“Self-dealing and abusive behavior are not acceptable,” Ralston said Thursday.