Bill > HB179

This bill revises the duties and membership of the State Ethics Commission, penalties, definitions, gift ban, and enforcement procedures. Key provisions include: - Expanding the Commission to six members appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and presiding judges of the Courts of Civil and Criminal Appeals. - Modifying the definition of "conflict of interest" and other key terms like "lobbyist" and "principal." - Prohibiting public officials and employees from accepting anything of value from lobbyists or principals, with exceptions for campaign contributions, ordinary business transactions, and de minimis gifts. - Requiring more extensive financial disclosure reporting for certain public officials and employees. - Granting the Commission more investigative powers, including the ability to issue subpoenas and make findings of probable cause. - Revising criminal and civil penalties for violations, including allowing the Commission to impose administrative fines for minor violations. The bill also repeals several related statutory sections and includes provisions to exclude it from the requirements of the state's unfunded mandate law.

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