The Center for Public Integrity

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Kentucky 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.

Kentucky 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 — Kentucky 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

Kentucky 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

New Hampshire 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?

Yes. New Hampshire has the New Hampshire General Court Legislative Ethics Committee, which is enabled by New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Chapter 14-B. The committee has six members, two each from the house, the senate and the public.
http://sudoc.nhsl.lib.nh.us/rsa/14-B-2.htm

Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?

Yes. New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Chapter 640, "Corrupt Practices," applies to legislators.
http://sudoc.nhsl.lib.nh.us/rsa/640.htm

When were the ethics statutes enacted?

1971

Where do legislators file outside interest disclosures?

New Hampshire Secretary of State. See Info Resources.
http://www.state.nh.us/sos/

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Tennessee 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 both personal financial disclosure and campaign finance disclosure.

Tennessee 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 — Tennessee 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

Tennessee 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

Maine 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.

Maine 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 — Maine 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

Maine 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

Connecticut 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.

Connecticut 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 —Connecticut 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

Connecticut 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

Utah 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. Utah Code Title 36, Chapter 19, "Conflicts of Interest" prohibits a legislator from having a direct interest in a state contract when the contract is a result of a bill sponsored by the legislator.
http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE36/htm/36_0C002.htm

Utah Code Title 67, Chapter 16 is the "Utah Public Officers' and Employees' Ethics Act," but it does not pertain to state legislators. The definition of "public officer" exempts legislators and legislative employees.
http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE67/67_0D.htm

When were the ethics statutes enacted?

1992 — "Conflict of Interest"
1989 — "Utah Public Officers' and Employees' Ethics Act"

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

New York 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. New York is among seven of those states - including Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, 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?

New York has the New York State Ethics Commission, which is enabled by Executive Law s. 94. The commission does not have jurisdiction over state legislators. It oversees officers and employees in the executive branch of government, as well as certain political party chairs and the four statewide elected officials.
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/ethc/ethics.html
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?cl=39&a=9

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

Yes. New York also has the Legislative Ethics Committee, which is enabled by Legislative Law s. 80, "Legislative Ethics." It oversees members of the legislature, legislative employees and candidates for member of the legislature. Membership consists of eight legislators — four from each chamber, evenly split between political parties.
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?cl=55&a=10

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Florida 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.

Florida 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 — Florida 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

Florida 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

Massachusetts 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.

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

Massachusetts, along with California and Hawaii, are the only three states that pick ethics agency commission members without any input from the legislature.

Budget

Massachusetts 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

North Dakota is among four states — including Michigan, South Dakota and Vermont — in which there are no formal ethics laws dealing with ethical conduct of legislator beyond personal financial disclosure and/or campaign finance disclosure requirements.

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?

Yes. North Dakota has the Legislative Council, which is enabled by North Dakota Century Code s.54-35-02.8, to appoint an ethics committee to consider or prepare a legislative code of ethics. The legislative council consists of the majority and minority leaders of the house and of the senate, plus six senators and seven representatives.
http://ranch.state.nd.us/LR/01/cencode/CCT54.pdf

Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?

No. North Dakota has no statute regarding ethics and disclosure beyond sections pertaining candidates' campaign finance and outside interest disclosure, which are both governed by the North Dakota Secretary of State, Elections Division.
http://www.state.nd.us/sec/Elections/Elections.htm

When were the ethics statutes enacted?

N/A