PUBLIC HEARING ON ETHICS BILLS. ETHICS MATTERS' AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED @ 17 Jul 2006

There will be a public hearing on two ethics bills, 06-12 and 06-13, on July 25 at 7:15 in the Commissioners’ meeting room. In addition, it is our understanding that at this meeting Commissioner Ransom will introduce the amendments proposed by Ethics Matters (see “Ethics Matters Gives Ransom Amendments to Ethics Code” below).

As you know, the new Queen Anne’s County ethics code, passed last November, has not been approved by the State Ethics Commission.County ethics codes are required by State law to meet certain standards in regard to conflicts of interest, lobbying, and financial disclosure. Our County ethics law does not meet these standards.

Commissioner Ransom’s two bills, 06-12 and 06-13, if passed, will correct some, but not all, of the problems with our ethics code. Bill 06-12 addresses the definitions of “family member” and “executive action” as well as eliminating a condition forgiving part time officials from being subject to the ethics code. Bill 06-13 changes the standard of

Realizing that even with the changes incorporated in his two bills, the County’s ethics code still falls short of State requirements, Mr. Ransom recently asked Ethics Matters to propose a full set of correcting amendments. Ethics Matters and its counsel (former State Attorney General Stephen Sachs and ethics law expert Avery Aisenstark) responded with amendments that would result in an ethics law that meets State’s standards and provides for an independent Ethics Commission with the ability to fulfill its statutory duties. It is these amendments Commissioner Ransom plans to introduce. (For the amendments and explanatory comments, see the first item under Commentary on this website.)

Our county’s ethics law was three long, difficult years in the making. It is an embarrassment that it does not meet the minimum standard required by the State. Queen Anne’s County, its employees, officials, and the general citizenry, deserve an ethics code they can be proud of. Democracy depends on the citizens’ ability to trust their government to act in the public’s behalf; a good, fair ethics code is the foundation of that trust.