Gov. Nathan Deal called on lawmakers to compromise over dueling versions of ethics reform legislation on Monday, calling it a vital “step in the right direction” to bolster the public’s image of their government.
“I do think it’s good for both bodies that they have very clearly defined ethics rules in place,” Deal said of rival House and Senate ethics proposals. “I think it does something to restore public confidence in the legislative process.”
The fate of the ethics reform effort is in limbo as the end of the 40-day legislative session looms on Thursday.
The House passed a version calling for a ban on lobbying gifts such as meals and football tickets, but included some big exceptions. The Senate passed its own version of the legislation last week that calls for a $100 cap on the value of such gifts, but with fewer exceptions.
The debate will probably go down to the wire, yet some supporters fear that the differences between the two are too vast to reconcile.
The two versions of the legislation, House Bill 142, are likely to head to a conference committee this week. That means three lawmakers from both chambers will try to hash out a single version of the bill before the session ends on Thursday.
Deal urged lawmakers to bridge the gap soon.
“It’s going to require that the reporting side of things be more closely scrutinized but, yes, I do favor a cap: Whether it’s zero or a $100,” he said. “And I think either would be a step in the right direction.”
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