Hawaii panel mulls reforms to improve elected official conduct following corruption case

HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii fee fashioned to enhance requirements of conduct for elected officers after a bribery scandal rocked the Legislature this 12 months met Wednesday to debate ethics-related reform proposals.

Robert Harris, a panel member who can be the chief director of the Hawaii State Ethics Fee, launched proposals together with requiring coaching for lobbyists and making it unlawful for lobbyists to offer presents. Legislators and state staff are prohibited from accepting presents above a sure greenback worth, or presents that aren’t reported.

The state may create exceptions for gadgets like lei, in the identical method state staff are allowed to simply accept the garlands.

Different concepts included strengthening battle of curiosity guidelines, for instance, by making it customary observe for lawmakers to recuse themselves from a vote on a invoice if they’ve a battle as a substitute of merely disclosing their battle.

The panel didn’t make any closing choices on the proposals.

The seven-member Fee to Enhance Requirements of Conduct plans to satisfy each two weeks till Dec. 1, when it is because of submit a closing report with suggestions to the state Home of Representatives.

The subsequent assembly on June 15 will concentrate on election regulation. Two weeks later, the panel will talk about marketing campaign finance. Retired state Choose Daniel Foley chairs the panel.

The Home created the panel in February after former state Rep. Ty Cullen and former state Sen. Kalani English pleaded responsible to sincere providers wire fraud. They admitted accepting envelopes of money and different bribes from a enterprise proprietor in trade for shaping laws whereas in workplace. They’re scheduled to be sentenced on July 5.

Copyright 2022 The Related Press. All rights reserved.