23 states have an independent commission that regulates conduct of state legislators – such as conflicts of interest, abuse of office, post-term employment restrictions.

• AR, CA, KS, LA, ME, MO, MN, NE, OK, TX (10 states)
  (this subset also oversees personal financial disclosure and campaign finance)
• AL, CT, FL, HI, KY, MA, MS, NV, OR, PA, RI, WV, WI (13 states)
  (this subset also oversees personal financial disclosure)

27 states have no independent entity that regulates conduct of state legislators

HOWEVER, 9 of those 27 states have independent commissions that regulate personal financial disclosure laws and campaign finance laws for legislators

• AK, GA, MT, NJ, TN, WA (6 states)
  (this subset oversees both aspects of disclosure)
• DE, MD (2 states)
  (this subset only oversees personal financial disclosure)
• IA (1 state)
  (this subset only oversees campaign finance disclosure)

AND, 18 of those 27 states have no independent commissions to oversee conduct or disclosure laws for legislators

• IN, IL, MI*, NY, NC, OH, SC (7 states)
  (this subset has independent entities set up that DO NOT oversee legislators; campaign disclosure for these state is overseen by elections divisions)
• AZ (SOS), CO (SOS), ID (SOS), NH (SOS), NM (SOS), UT (AG), VA (AG), WY (AG) (8 states)
  (this subset has no independent entities set up to over see conduct or disclosure for anyone; disclosure for these states is overseen by Secretary of State offices, often times the elections divisions; other ethics laws may be administered by Secretary of State offices and Attorneys General)
• ND, SD, VT (3 states) and MI
  (this subset has NO formal ethics laws covering conduct of legislators)

*MI also does not have formal ethics laws for legislators beyond some campaign disclosure.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Oklahoma is one of 23 states in which an outside ethics agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 10 of those states where the ethics agency also oversees both personal financial disclosure and campaign finance disclosure for members of the legislature.

Oklahoma is one of 9 states that waited until the 1980s or the 1990s to established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Oklahoma is one of 12 where the legislature appoints at least one commission member. Only three states - California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Oklahoma is among 10 states that did not approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia. Two state ethics agency budgets — in Missouri and Montana — actually decreased during this time period.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Pennsylvania is one of 23 states in which an outside ethics agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 13 of those states where the ethics agency also oversees personal financial disclosure for members of the legislature.

Pennsylvania is among the 22 states that established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators in the post-Watergate 1970s.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Pennsylvania is one of 12 where the legislature appoints at least one commission member. Only three states - California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Pennsylvania is among 22 states that did approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Six state ethics agency budgets — in Arkansas, Georgia, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington — at least doubled during this time period.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Illinois is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 18 of those states where no ethics agency oversees any aspect of disclosure. Illinois is among seven of those states — including Indiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina — in which an outside agency is setup to oversee other divisions of government.

More Info

What, if any, ethics agency exists in the state?

Illinois has the State of Illinois Board of Ethics, which is authorized under Executive Order 77-3 (ie, not in statute). The board administers a personal economic disclosure program covering 10,000 appointees and employees. Jurisdiction does not extend to legislators, members of the judicial branch or people holding elective office in Executive Branch.
http://www.state.il.us/ethics/

If the above agency does not oversee legislators, is legislative oversight defined in statute?

No.

Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?

Yes. It is the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act - 5 ILCS 420/1-101. In regard to legislators, the act contains "Restricted Activities," "Rules of Conduct for Legislators" and "Ethical Principles for Legislators."
http://www.legis.state.il.us/ilcs/ch5/ch5act420articles/ch5act420artstoc.htm

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Wyoming is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 8 of those states where any outside oversight for members of the legislature is lumped in with the responsibilities of the secretary of state or attorney general.

More Info

What, if any, ethics agency exists in the state?

None.

If the above agency does not oversee legislators, is legislative oversight defined in statute?

No.

Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?

Yes. Wyoming Statutes Title 9, Chapter 13, "Government Ethics," applies to legislators, as does Wyoming Statutes Title 6, Chapter 5, "Offenses Against Public Administration."
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/titles/title09/chapter13.htm
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/titles/title06/chapter05.htm

When were the ethics statutes enacted?

1998

Where do legislators file outside interest disclosures?

Wyoming Secretary of State, Election Administration. See Info Resources.
http://soswy.state.wy.us/election/election.htm

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Missouri is one of 23 states in which an outside ethics agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 10 of those states where the ethics agency also oversees both personal financial disclosure and campaign finance disclosure for members of the legislature.

Missouri is one of 9 states that waited until the 1980s or the 1990s to established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Missouri is one of 17 where the legislature has some involvement in choosing commission members. Only three states — California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Missouri is among 10 states that did not approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia. Two state ethics agency budgets — in Missouri and Montana — actually decreased during this time period.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Alabama is one of 23 states in which an outside ethics agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 13 of those states where the ethics agency also oversees personal financial disclosure for members of the legislature.

Alabama is among the 22 states that established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators in the post-Watergate 1970s.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Alabama is one of 17 where the legislature has some involvement in choosing commission members. Only three states — California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Alabama is among 22 states that did approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Six state ethics agency budgets — in Arkansas, Georgia, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington — at least doubled during this time period.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Iowa is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 9 of those states where an outside ethics agency does oversee disclosure for members of the legislature, in this case only campaign finance disclosure.

Iowa is among the 22 states that established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators in the post-Watergate 1970s.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Iowa is one of 17 where the legislature has some involvement in choosing commission members. Only three states — California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Iowa is among 10 states that did not approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia. Two state ethics agency budgets — in Missouri and Montana — actually decreased during this time period.

Investigation

Of the 32 two states with outside ethics and/or disclosure oversight, only two ethics agencies — in Florida and West Virginia — cannot initiate an investigation or investigate an anonymous complaint. Only one agency, Alabama's, cannot issue subpoenas.

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Nebraska is one of 23 states in which an outside ethics agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 10 of those states where the ethics agency also oversees both personal financial disclosure and campaign finance disclosure for members of the legislature.

Nebraska is among the 22 states that established outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements of legislators in the post-Watergate 1970s.

Of the 32 states that have outside oversight of ethical conduct and/or disclosure requirements for legislators — 23 that cover ethics and disclosure, plus nine that cover disclosure only — Nebraska is one of 17 where the legislature has some involvement in choosing commission members. Only three states — California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — have members picked without the input of the legislature.

Budget

Nebraska is among 22 states that did approve a budget for its ethics agency exceeding the rate of inflation, or 7 percent, between 1997 and 2000. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Six state ethics agency budgets — in Arkansas, Georgia, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington — at least doubled during this time period.