Published Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Expanding ethics bill

All the ethical lapses of years past inspired two North Alabama lawmakers to propose a change in disclosure laws that they will put before the Legislature in the upcoming session. Reps. Mike Ball, R-Madison, and Rep. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, prefiled a bill that would call on public officials and employees and their spouses to report if they are working for the government or have contracts with the government.

The head of the state Ethics Commission is supporting the bill. Executive Director Jim Sumners said it would provide a better way to see and understand who has working relationships with the government.

Ball has said the reports of legislators employed in the two-year college system and with state agencies prompted the legislation. It would include those who work for colleges and universities, technical colleges, the Legislature, the court system and city or county school systems.

Violations of the bill being proposed would be subject to the Ethics Commission statute.
The bill would make more of the behind-the-scenes stuff of government public, which is always good.

But the bill would require disclosure alone. It would not work to end any of the kinds of contracts and jobs that have sparked so much discussion and calls for change in the past year or so.

As long as you don't mind people knowing, enhanced disclosure would allow everyone to keep doing what their doing.

Enhancing disclosure is a little better than what the law requires now. We may have to settle for that until we demand that lawmakers put an end to some of these ethically questionable hirings or contracts.