HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4868        FILED ON: 6/20/2016

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4627

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Robert A. DeLeo

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolve:

Resolve establishing a task force on integrity in state and local government.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4868        FILED ON: 6/20/2016

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4627

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

Resolve establishing a task force on integrity in state and local government.

Resolved, That there shall be established, pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws, a special legislative commission known as the Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government.  The task force shall be comprised of the following 11 members: the chair of the house committee on ethics; the chair of the senate committee on ethics; the attorney general or her designee; a member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; a member of the senate appointed by the minority leader of the senate; the chief legal counsel to the governor; the chief legal counsel to the senate; the chief legal counsel to the house of representatives; and 3 members with expertise on issues relating to ethics, public integrity or campaign finance to be appointed as follows: 1 member to be appointed by the governor, 1 member to be appointed by the president of the senate and 1 member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. The chairs of the house and senate committees on ethics shall serve as co-chairs of the task force.

The task force shall conduct an investigation and study of the existing legal and regulatory framework governing: (a) the conduct of state, county and municipal elected officials and appointed public employees, including a review of: (i) the Conflict of Interest Law, chapter 268A of the General Laws; (ii) the Financial Disclosure Law, chapter 268B of the General Laws; and (iii) the regulations of the state ethics commission, 930 CMR 1.00 et seq., and associated processes; (b) the disclosure and regulation of campaign expenditures and contributions, including a review of: (i) the Campaign Finance Law, chapter 55 of the General Laws; and (ii) the regulations of the office of campaign and political finance, 970 CMR 1.00 et seq., and associated processes; and (c) the registration and conduct of executive and legislative agents, including a review of (i) the Lobbying Law, sections 39 to 50, inclusive, of chapter 3 of the General Laws; and (ii) the feasibility of extending the Lobbying Law to municipalities.

The task force shall confer with representatives of the various state offices responsible for overseeing the state ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws, as well as with academics, practitioners and others with expertise in these areas.

The task force shall file a report with the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives regarding the results of its investigation and study on or before December 23, 2016.  The report shall include: (i) an assessment of the current legal and regulatory structures, education and training, advisories and processes; (ii) recommendations for amendments to any current law, rule or regulation; and (iii) recommendations for legislation, if any.