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John Daley ReportingUtah lawmakers are a few days away from wrapping up business for this year, and once again, noticeably absent on the list of bills passed are any major reforms regarding gifts from lobbyists or personal use of campaign money.
By my count, lawmakers this session are 0 for 6. No ethics reforms bills have passed yet; one is still alive, but has been severely weakened. Still, the issue has seen some heated discussion, specifically about the news media bringing up the subject in the first place.
We're talking about lobbyist's gifts, like tickets to Utah Jazz games or free meals for lawmakers whose names never appear on public disclosure filings. Recently, the vast majority of ethics bills aimed at tightening the rules go nowhere. Journalists continue to raise the issue and some lawmakers, like Senator Howard Stephenson, think reporters are being irresponsible .
Senator Howard: "I think the real problem here is the media, not the legislature, and we're just giving them too much fodder to destroy us."
This session proposed bills including: a revolving door bill extending the amount of time before a departing lawmaker could be a lobbyist, a bill banning personal use of campaign funds, one requiring better campaign finance disclosure, a gift ban, and two lowering the threshold for full disclosure of gifts.
The first three never made it out of committee so the entire legislature never voted on it. Two gifts bills passed the House only to die in the Senate. The final bill is still alive, but was watered down.
Lawmakers pushing reform say they're baffled.
Rep. Pat Jones, (D) Asst. House Minority Whip: "I think it makes the public mad and the public frustrated. I just can't understand why we can't get a good ethics reform package sent through the House and sent through the Senate."
Sen. Greg Bell, (R) Fruit Heights: "If the lobbyists are spending money, they must perceive they are getting something for it. The people have a right to know that."
But others contend routine legislative work, a meeting or a lunch where a meal is involved, is being confused for gift-taking.
Sen. John Valentine, (R) Senate President: "Many members of our body feel like they are being attacked for attending to the business they are elected to do."
Polls have consistently shown Utahns would like tougher rules here. A KSL-TV, Deseret Morning News poll by Dan Jones and Associates last month found that 68-percent of Utahns want more disclosure of lobbyists' gifts to lawmakers. 76-percent of Utahns want lobbyist gifts to lawmakers banned all together.
But again, major changes will have to wait for next year.
