Governor Palin Signs Alaska Ethics Bill

July 10, 2007

Juneau, Alaska - An ethics reform package for all Alaska state officials was signed into law Monday by Governor Sarah Palin.

From a Palin press release: Governor Sarah Palin today signed House Bill 109 into law at the Alaska Public Offices Commission in Anchorage. The legislation improves Alaska's ethics and disclosure laws.

"It was so gratifying to be a part of a bipartisan effort, where the focus was on doing the right thing for the people of Alaska," said Governor Palin. "Comprehensive ethics reform was a priority of mine. House Bill 109 is a good first step toward changing the culture of politics as usual."

House Bill 109 improves laws affecting lobbyists by:

. Requiring ethics training for lobbyists and their employers

. Increasing restrictions on lobbyists' gifts

. Barring persons with certain felony convictions from lobbying

. Barring spouses and domestic partners of legislators from lobbying for pay

. Prohibiting certain high-level executive branch officials from lobbying for one year after leaving those positions

Improves disclosure laws by:

. Requiring electronic filing of campaign and financial disclosures

. Requiring legislators and legislative employees to disclose all boards on which they serve

. Requiring final financial disclosures from legislators, public officials, and others within 90 days of leaving office

. Requiring more details in financial disclosures

. Requiring members of more executive branch boards to file financial disclosures

Improves executive branch ethics laws by:

. Increasing requirements for public officials' blind trusts

. Specifying when a financial interest in a business is insignificant

. Increasing restrictions on employment after leaving service in the executive branch

. Barring political use of state aircraft except when that use is incidental

. Requiring the governor, before granting executive clemency, to disclose any interest in the matter and obtain an ethics determination from the attorney general

Improves legislative ethics laws by:

. Requiring ethics training

. Increasing restrictions on gifts legislators and legislative employees may accept

. Prohibiting legislators from receiving outside compensation for legislative, administrative, or political work

. Makes it a crime for public servants not to report bribery they know about

. Prohibits agreements to exchange campaign contributions to elected officials or candidates for changing their votes or positions on a matter

. Provides for forfeiture of certain pension contributions when an official is convicted of a felony such as bribery in connection with official duties House Bill 109 passed the State Legislature on May 12, 2007.