I always find ethics reform on the hill a rather fascinating exercise and I liken it to a wheel spinning in the mud – sure, there is a lot of noise and movement but, ultimately, nothing gets done. What makes this year interesting is that Republicans have vowed to put ethics reform on the agenda in what I can only think is a political ploy rather than an actual effort to get anything done on the issue.
Want proof? Look at Representative Carol Spackman-Moss’ ( D – Salt Lake – District 37) sound ethics bill, HB 247 – Lobbyist Restriction Modifications.
Currently, a former legislator could lobby on behalf of a bill if they are engaging in lobbying that is on behalf of themselves or a business they are associated with (unless that business is associated with lobbying or government affairs). Spackman-Moss’ bill would remove this loophole and demand that legislators wait one year after leaving the legislature before becoming a lobbyist…period.
This bill, and the “cooling off” period it is advocating, is just one of many Democratic ethics bills that are going nowhere because a Republican did not sponsor it. I have to wonder where this bill would if it was proposed by some random legislator in the heart of Utah – alas, I will never know.
This is a great example of a bill that will go nowhere because of the name associated to the bill.
