Posted: | March 1, 2016 12:12 PM |
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From: | Senator Ryan P. Aument |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Gubernatorial Conflict of Interest Act |
In an effort to promote transparency in government, I intend to introduce legislation that would create provisions for when a conflict of interest occurs in the Office of Governor. Currently, there is no requirement for the Governor to disclose a conflict of interest and even more troubling, no way for a Governor to avoid a conflict of interest. The General Assembly is bound by standards that are set forth in the Constitution and the rules of the Senate and House. Article III Section 13 of the Pennsylvania Constitution clearly states, “A member who has a personal or private interest in any measure or bill proposed or pending before the General Assembly shall disclose the fact to the House of which he is a member, and shall not vote thereon.” Further, Senate Rule 20 (c) states,
Similar rules apply to the Judiciary in the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct. 207 PaCode Ch.33, Canon 2, Rule 2.11 (relating to disqualification). It is my belief that the Governor should not only be held to the same ethical standards that bind the Senate, House, and Judiciary, but he or she should also be able to utilize the same process of disclosure and transparency that is awarded through these provisions. Please join me in continuing the effort to provide increased transparency in government by establishing these ethical standards for the Office of Governor. |
Introduced as SB1172