Whelan Joins in Sponsoring Bill to Overhaul Legislative Ethics Panel

WHELAN JOINS IN SPONSORING BILL TO OVERHAUL LEGISLATIVE ETHICS PANEL

(TRENTON) - Calling it a long overdue reform that would help restore public confidence in legislative affairs, Assemblyman Jim Whelan today announced that he is joining in the sponsorship of legislation that would revamp the panel that oversees the ethical conduct of state lawmakers.

The legislation (A-200) also is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., (D-Camden) and Assemblyman Michael Panter (D-Monmouth/Mercer).   It calls for replacing the state's current 16-member Joint Committee on Ethical Standards with an independent panel that would have more authority to require financial disclosure by legislators.

"The best way to ensure maximum ethical conduct is with tough laws and regulations and an enforcement body with real teeth," said Whelan.

The Assemblyman said the Legislature' ethics oversight panel is in need of overhaul because the current committee is having trouble attaining quorums and too often engages in partisan squabbling.

"The current structure just isn't cutting it anymore," said Whelan.
The bill would restructure the panel, removing all legislative members and giving the committee more power to prevent conflicts of interest by lawmakers.

If enacted, the measure would put New Jersey in line with the majority of other states with legislative ethics panels that prohibit sitting legislators from policing the conduct of themselves and their colleagues.

Whelan's measure would reconstitute the ethics panel as an eight-member body comprised strictly of retired federal, state or county prosecutors, retired Supreme Court justices, or retired Superior Court judges.  The Senate President, Speaker of the General Assembly and the Senate and Assembly Minority Leaders each would each be required to appoint two members to the panel.

The bill was released Monday by the Assembly State Government Committee and now goes to the Speaker who has publicly stated that he will seek action on the measure in June.

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