1Urging the members of the Governor's Advisory Council on
2Privatization and Innovation to sign an Integrity and
3Accountability Pledge so as to ensure that all
4recommendations that are made are in the best interests of
5the citizens of this Commonwealth.

6WHEREAS, America was founded as a democracy representative of
7the interests and the needs of the people; and

8WHEREAS, The purpose of government is to serve the best
9interests of those it represents; and

10WHEREAS, Public service is a privilege that requires
11adherence to core values, including accountability, integrity
12and reliability; and

13WHEREAS, The privatization of functions served by State
14government is likely to result in substantial financial benefits
15to purchasers of government assets and recipients of the award
16of privatization contracts; and

17WHEREAS, Those engaged in public service in this
18Commonwealth, whether appointed, elected or employed, are

1mandated to serve the public trust; and

2WHEREAS, Section 2 of Article IV of the Constitution of
3Pennsylvania grants the Governor supreme executive power and
4compels the Governor to ensure that all laws are executed in
5good faith; and

6WHEREAS, The General Assembly has made many efforts to ensure
7the honesty and integrity of the public sector, including its
8employees and elected and appointed officials; and

9WHEREAS, The Public Official and Employee Ethics Act, Chapter
1011 of Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania
11Consolidated Statues, states, "The Legislature hereby declares
12that public office is a public trust and that any effort to
13realize personal financial gain through public office other than
14compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust"; and

15WHEREAS, Section 1104 of Title 65 of the Pennsylvania
16Consolidated Statutes requires public officials to file a
17financial interest statement with the State Ethics Commission,
18and both public officials and public employees to submit a
19financial interest statement with the institution, agency or
20bureau to which they are appointed or elected, or by which they
21are employed; and

22WHEREAS, The act of July 10, 1968 (P.L.316, No.154), known as
23the Legislative Code of Ethics, prohibits any member of the
24General Assembly from participating in any State action that
25could benefit him or her, or his or her family; and

26WHEREAS, The act of December 17, 1981 (P.L.435, No.135),
27known as the Race Horse Industry Reform Act, prohibits public
28employees, public officers and party officers from engaging in
29certain acts that could result in a conflict of interest; and

30WHEREAS, The act of July 5, 2004 (P.L.572, No.71), known as

1the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, requires
2members of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to recuse
3themselves from any actions that may provide a benefit to
4themselves or their families; and

5WHEREAS, Individuals appointed to councils and boards under
6the jurisdiction of the Governor should be held to the same
7level of scrutiny as those hired and elected to serve the public
8interest; and

9WHEREAS, Appointees to the Governor's Advisory Council on
10Privatization and Innovation should sign an Accountability and
11Integrity Pledge, which reads:

12"I, as a member of the Governor's Advisory Council on
13Privatization and Innovation, do hereby pledge that neither
14myself, my spouse, my parent, my brother, my sister, or child
15nor any business in which I, my spouse, my parent, my
16brother, my sister or my child is associated with, will
17benefit financially, in any manner whatsoever, from the
18actions taken by the council of a period of not less than
19five years after the enactment of any recommendation";

20therefore be it

21RESOLVED, That the members of the Pennsylvania General
22Assembly urge the Governor to require that all current and
23future members of the Governor's Advisory Council on
24Privatization and Innovation sign an Accountability and
25Integrity Pledge; and be it further

26RESOLVED, That in the absence of the Governor's acting under
27this resolution, all current and future members of the
28Governor's Advisory Council on Privatization and Innovation
29nevertheless voluntarily sign an Accountability and Integrity
30Pledge.