HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1319 FILED ON: 1/13/2009
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3495
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand Nine
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An Act relative to legislative ethics..
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 43 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out in lines 5 and 6 the words “all campaign contributions as defined in section one of chapter fifty five”.
SECTION 2. The last paragraph of said section 43 of said chapter 3, as so appearing is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-
No executive or legislative agent shall make a campaign contribution as defined in section 1 of chapter 55.
SECTION 3. Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 43 the following section:-
Section 43A. All members of the ethics committee of the general court shall receive in depth education and training on ethics’ law, interviewing skills and investigatory procedures. All actions of said committees shall be made public, including but not limited to advisory opinions. The ethics committees shall conduct an education and training seminar for members of the general court at the commencement of each session. Issues beyond the scope of professional expertise or legislative rules shall be referred to the appropriate resources.
SECTION 4. Section 7L of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-
A law making an appropriation for expenses of the commonwealth shall not contain any earmarks.
SECTION 5. Chapter 268B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4 the following section:-
Section 4A. A member of the general court who holds a leadership position or chairmanship who is fined under section 4 shall immediately forfeit such position or chairmanship.