House File 2596 - Introduced



                                    HOUSE FILE       
                                    BY  COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

                                    (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 698)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to ethical principles of public service for
  2    members of the general assembly and officials.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 6487HV 81
  5 tm/cf/24

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  68B.1A  ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF
  1  2 PUBLIC SERVICE == MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND
  1  3 OFFICIALS.
  1  4    1.  The following ethical principles of public service
  1  5 shall provide a guide for members of the general assembly and
  1  6 officials to strive for:
  1  7    a.  Members of the general assembly and officials should
  1  8 strive to treat their office as a public trust, using the
  1  9 powers and resources of public office to advance public
  1 10 interests as distinct from private interests incompatible with
  1 11 the public good.
  1 12    b.  Members of the general assembly and officials should
  1 13 strive to employ independent objective judgment in performing
  1 14 their duties, deciding all matters on the merits, free from
  1 15 conflicts of interest and both real and apparent improper
  1 16 influences.
  1 17    c.  Members of the general assembly and officials should
  1 18 strive to assure that government is conducted openly,
  1 19 efficiently, fairly, and honorably in a manner that permits
  1 20 the citizens to make informed judgments and hold members of
  1 21 the general assembly officials accountable.
  1 22    d.  Members of the general assembly and officials should
  1 23 strive to honor and respect the principles and spirit of
  1 24 representative democracy and set a positive example of good
  1 25 citizenship by scrupulously observing the letter and spirit of
  1 26 laws and rules.
  1 27    e.  Members of the general assembly and officials should
  1 28 strive to embrace the ideals of honesty, honor, and integrity
  1 29 in order that they may merit the respect and confidence of all
  1 30 citizens.
  1 31    2.  The ethical principles in subsection 1 shall be
  1 32 aspirational and shall not be used as a basis for an ethics
  1 33 complaint or criminal prosecution.
  1 34                           EXPLANATION
  1 35    This bill relates to ethical principles of public service
  2  1 for public officials.
  2  2    The bill provides for ethical principles of public service
  2  3 in Code chapter 68B, which relates to governmental ethics. The
  2  4 ethical principles include treating public office as a public
  2  5 trust, employing independent objective judgment, assuring that
  2  6 government is conducted openly, honoring and respecting the
  2  7 principles and spirit of representative democracy, and being
  2  8 dedicated to the ideals of honesty, honor, and integrity.
  2  9    The bill provides that the ethical principles are
  2 10 aspirational and shall not be used as a basis for an ethics
  2 11 complaint or criminal prosecution.
  2 12 LSB 6487HV 81
  2 13 tm:nh/cf/24