HB 119: "An Act relating to professional ethics training."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 119 01 "An Act relating to professional ethics training." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 24.45.031(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) In addition to its other duties under this chapter, the commission shall 05 (1) prescribe the forms for registration, reports, statements, notices, 06 and other documents required by this chapter; 07 (2) prepare and publish instructions setting out the methods of 08 accounting, bookkeeping, and preservation of records required to facilitate compliance 09 with and enforcement of this chapter and explaining the duties of persons subject to 10 the provisions of this chapter; the instructions shall be updated periodically; 11 (3) provide assistance to persons in complying with the provisions of 12 this chapter; 13 (4) prepare and publish a biennial report of its activities, findings, and 14 recommendations under this chapter, which shall be made available to the governor, 15 legislature, and to the public by February 1 of each odd-numbered calendar year; the
01 commission shall notify the legislature that the report is available; 02 (5) report suspected violations of this chapter to the attorney general; 03 (6) administer an annually updated training course that promotes 04 adherence to high ethical standards of professional conduct and teaches lobbyists 05 and employers of lobbyists how to comply with laws that regulate lobbyists. 06 * Sec. 2. AS 24.45.041(b) is amended to read: 07 (b) The registration form prescribed by the commission must include 08 (1) the lobbyist's full name and complete permanent residence and 09 business address and telephone number, as well as any temporary residential and 10 business address and telephone number in the state capital during a legislative session; 11 (2) the full name and complete address of each person by whom the 12 lobbyist is retained or employed; 13 (3) whether the person from whom the lobbyist receives compensation 14 employs the person solely as a lobbyist or whether the person is a regular employee 15 performing other services for the employer that include but are not limited to the 16 influencing of legislative or administrative action; 17 (4) the nature or form of the lobbyist's compensation for engaging in 18 lobbying, including salary, fees, or reimbursement for expenses received in 19 consideration for, or directly in support of or in connection with, the influencing of 20 legislative or administrative action; 21 (5) a general description of the subjects or matters on which the 22 registrant expects to lobby or to engage in the influencing of legislative or 23 administrative action; 24 (6) the full name and complete address of the person, if other than the 25 registrant, who has custody of the accounts, books, papers, bills, receipts, and other 26 documents required to be maintained under this chapter; 27 (7) the identification of a legislator, legislative employee, or public 28 official to whom the lobbyist is married or who is the domestic partner of the lobbyist; 29 in this paragraph, "domestic partner" has the meaning given in AS 39.50.200(a); 30 (8) a sworn affirmation by the lobbyist that the lobbyist has 31 completed the training course administered by the commission under
01 AS 24.45.031(a) within the 12-month period preceding the date of registration or 02 registration renewal under this chapter. 03 * Sec. 3. AS 24.60.150(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) The committee shall 05 (1) adopt procedures to facilitate the receipt of inquiries and prompt 06 rendition of its opinions; 07 (2) publish semi-annual summaries of decisions and advisory opinions 08 with sufficient deletions in the summaries to prevent disclosing the identity of the 09 persons involved in the decisions or opinions that have remained confidential; 10 (3) publish legislative ethics materials, including an annually 11 updated handbook on standards of ethical conduct and a bimonthly legislative 12 newsletter, to help educate legislators, legislative employees, and public members 13 of the committee on the subject of legislative ethics; 14 (4) in January of each year and at other times determined by the 15 committee, administer a legislative ethics course that teaches strategies for 16 compliance with this chapter and understanding of this chapter's purpose under 17 AS 24.60.010. 18 * Sec. 4. AS 24.60 is amended by adding a new section to read: 19 Sec. 24.60.155. A person who is a legislator, legislative employee, or public 20 member of the committee shall complete the legislative ethics course administered by 21 the committee under AS 24.60.150(a) at some time after the last day of each regular 22 legislative session and before the 10th day of the next following regular legislative 23 session. However, a person who first takes office or begins employment after the 10th 24 day of a regular session shall complete the course required by this section within 30 25 days after the person's first day of service. The committee may grant a person 26 additional time to complete the course required by this section.