ROBERTS/WATSON COLEMAN BILL UPDATING LEGISLATIVE CODE OF ETHICS PASSES ASSEMBLY

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman sponsored to modernize the Legislative Code of Ethics today passed the General Assembly by a vote of 76 to 1.

"We can ill afford to continue operating under antiquated notions of right and wrong," said Roberts (D-Camden).  "We have updated our laws to reflect changing times.  We must now update the code that guides our behavior as well."

The measure (ACR-159) would adopt a new Legislative Code of Ethics, updating the current code, which has not been modified since 1983.

A majority of the provisions already are present in current law but have yet to be reflected in the code.  They include:

• Prohibiting legislators from participating in legislation in which they or their family have a personal interest;
• Limiting the gifts a legislator may accept for matters related to official duties;
• Limiting the gifts a legislator or family member may accept from lobbyists to $250 a year; and
• Broadening post employment restrictions to prohibit a state officer or employee from providing a new employer with privileged information.

One new provision that would be established in the code would prohibit any member of the Legislature from using his or her official title in an endorsement or advertisement that promotes a for-profit venture.

"With public confidence in the Legislature near an all time low, it is incumbent upon us to clearly and simply define what is and is not acceptable behavior," said Watson Coleman (D-Mercer).  We must make larger strides on the path to restoring the public's faith in their elected officials."

The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

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