INDIANAPOLIS — I know it is tempting to portray the Indiana General Assembly as having a deaf ear toward ethical behavior, but I find such opinions do not match the commitment that the men and women in the Indiana House and Senate have toward meeting the public’s trust.
When confronted with violations of that trust, it has been my experience that lawmakers have moved quickly to respond to public concerns.
As I look back on the final days of the 2009 session in April, it was apparent the level of pressure exerted by special interests put a cloud over the legislature’s ability to respond to the concerns of Hoosiers.
My feeling is that something has to be done to better clarify the roles that lobbyists, lawmakers and the governor’s office play in the legislative process. My plan — which I intend to offer when the General Assembly returns for the 2010 session in January — proposes reforms in three areas.
Legislative branch: Lobbyists would be required to report any gift of more than $50 to a legislator, legislative candidate or legislative employee. Any individual who holds a state elected office would be prohibited from registering as a lobbyist for one year after his (or her) term of office expires. Lobbyists would be prohibited from representing multiple clients if there is a conflict of interest between those clients.
Executive branch: Individuals appointed to certain positions in the executive branch by the governor would not be allowed to register as a lobbyist for one year after leaving the post. Committees representing the governor or any candidate for that office would be prohibited from soliciting contributions or conducting fundraisers during the long session of the General Assembly or the days surrounding the legislature’s Organization Day each November.
State contractors: People who have contracts with state government or bid on contracts would be prohibited from making political contributions to individuals who hold state office or run for state office. People who bid on or receive contracts would be required to register with the state of Indiana’s election division, which then will make that information available to the public. Violators of these provisions could face civil and criminal penalties and the potential loss of state contracts.
How can these changes help?
By tightening up gift reporting, we will provide greater detail into the daily activities of lawmakers. By preventing the executive branch from raising funds during a legislative session, we are extending a reform that has been in place for the General Assembly for a number of years.
Keeping legislators, other state elected officials and executive branch workers from immediately jumping into the lobbying pool will rebut any perception that some individuals use these positions of trust and authority merely as a springboard to gain undue influence and line their own pockets.
I am particularly interested in pursuing changes in state law that blunt the influence that lobbyists attempt to impose over the legislative process. Powerful interests should not have the ability to cover themselves by representing all sides of an issue. They should be up front about their intentions to their clients.
Finally, we all have seen the tragic results when contractors “pay to play” on state contracts in places like Illinois. We should make clear that if you want to do business with Indiana, that determination should be made by the quality of your work, rather than the size of your political pocketbook.
Since announcing my intentions to pursue these reforms in the 2010 session, it has been heartening to see political leaders on both sides of the aisle say they want to see changes in ethics laws next year. Legislators see the problem, and I believe we will fix it.
Bauer, D-South Bend, is Speaker of the Indiana House.
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