Ethics rule to be proposed on the Arkansas House floor

Rep. Dan Greenberg has asked me to co-sponsor a meaningful rule change that would require full disclosure of all food, gifts, and services on a monthly basis by House members. Greenberg and I filed a shell bill during the regular session but did not pursue it in light of the ethics legislation that would eventually pass the House. That bill passed the House 89-3, so I'm hopeful that this rule change will enjoy similar support.

The main difference between the two is that this rule change would only affect House members. Further, this rule change puts the onus on the legislator to file the report. I'm on record as saying that's the way it should be. We have to show that we're willing and capable of policing ourselves. Congress enacted similar ethics legislation this year (see the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007).

The proposal is not perfect. There is no enforcement mechanism, and unless we create a separate commission to do so, we'll have to rely on the membership to follow the rules, just as we do for all of the other 107 rules contained in the Rules of the House. Still, it's a proposal that stands a realistic chance and would put us in position to enact meaningful ethics legislation in 2009 that does include an enforcement provision.