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State Ethics Commissions: Powers & Duties

Initiating and Investigating Complaints: Every ethics commission has the authority to investigate allegations of violations of the ethics code sections it administers. Members of 38 ethics commissions have the authority to initiate an investigation by filing a complaint, although in some states ethics commission staff cannot initiate an investigation. Only in Florida does the complaint have to come from outside the commission’s office. In Alabama and Kentucky, commissioners who file complaints must recuse themselves from involvement in the investigation and hearings related to that case.

Issuing Advisory Opinions: Every ethics commission has the authority to issue advisory opinions. Only in Florida and North Carolina must the requester take the advice in the opinion. In several states, including Texas, Washington and Nevada, the commission does not have to be asked, but can render an opinion on any issue.

AL | AK | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS | KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY | Totals

State Commission

Develop Forms

Develop Manuals

Examine Reports, Monitor Compliance

Subpoena Witnesses

Orders Enforceable in Court

Conduct Ethics Training

Alabama Ethics Commission

X

X

(uniform reporting guidelines)

X

Alaska Public Offices Commission

X

X

(all reports)

X

X

Arizona

No ethics commission

Arkansas Ethics Commission

X

X

(educational materials)

X

X

California Fair Political Practices Commission

X

X

X

X

X

Colorado

Commission in process of being established in 2008

Connecticut Ethics Commission

X

X

(plain-language summary of ethics laws)

X

X

Delaware State Public Integrity Commission

X

X

X

X

X

Florida Commission on Ethics

(may publish materials to help public officials comply)

X

Georgia State Ethics Commission

X

X

X

X

X

X

Hawaii State Ethics Commission

X

X

X

Idaho

No ethics commission

Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission

X

X

X

Illinois Office of the Legislative Inspector General

X

Illinois Executive Ethics Commission

X

X

X

X

Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General

X

X

Indiana State Ethics Commission

X

X

X

X

X

Indiana Lobby Registration Commission

Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board

X

X

(accounting manual, educational materials)

X

Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission

X

X

Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission

X

X

(handbook for lobbyists, ethics training manual)

X

X

X

Kentucky Executive Ethics Commission

X

X

(handbook for lobbyists)

X

X

X

Louisiana Board of Ethics

X

X

X

Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices

X

X

Maryland State Ethics Commission

X

X

X

(each statement)

X

X

X

(lobbyists included)

Massachusetts State Ethics Commission

X

X

(guidelines for accounting methods)

X

(inspect all statements)

X

X

Michigan State Board of Ethics

Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board

X

X

(The executive director must inspect and the board can audit)

X

Mississippi Ethics Commission

X

X

(manuals on accounting and reporting)

X

X

Missouri Ethics Commission

X

(executive director must review)

X

X

Montana Commissioner of Political Practices

X

X

(accounting manual)

X

(must examine within 20 days of receipt)

X

Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission

X

(Must make sure everyone has filed and also conduct "random feild audits" of campaign statements, and in those cases must also audit opponent.)

X

Nevada Commission on Ethics

X

X

(include hypothetical advisory opinions)

X

New Hampshire

No ethics commission

New Jersey Commission of Investigation

X

X

New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission

X

X

(include law and bookkeeping requirements)

X

X

X

X

(for campaign treasurers)

New Jersey Executive Commission on Ethical Standards

X

New Mexico

No ethics commission

New York State Ethics Commission

X

X

X

X

New York State Temporary Commission on Lobbying

North Carolina Board of Ethics

X

(Must publish newletter on ethics)

X

X

North Dakota

No ethics commission

Ohio Ethics Commission

X

X

Oklahoma Ethics Commission

X

Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission

X

X

(manual on uniform reporting methods, plain-language manual of ethics laws)

X

X

(lobbyists included)

Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission

X

X

(educational materials)

X

(must inspect reports)

X

X

Rhode Island Ethics Commission

X

X

(publications to explain ethical conduct)

X

(must review reports)

X

South Carolina Ethics Commission

X

X

(accounting manual, ethics brochure)

X

(must ascertain whether the filer has complied with the law)

X

X

South Dakota

No ethics commission

Tennessee Registry of Election Finance

X

(should be as simple as possible)

X

X

(must review all filed statements)

X

X

Texas Ethics Commission

X

X

(uniform accounting methods)

X

(must conduct random audits)

X

X

(lobbyists included)

Utah

No ethics commission

Vermont

No ethics commission

Virginia

No ethics commission

Washington State Legislative Ethics Board

X

Washington State Executive Ethics Board

X

Washington Public Disclosure Commission

X

X

(bookkeeping manual)

X

(must conduct a sufficient number of audits and feild investigations)

X

X

X

West Virginia Ethics Commission

X

X

X

X

Wisconsin Ethics Board

X

X

X

Wyoming No ethics commission

Totals

33 commissions
in 32 states

25 commissions
in 24 states

26 commissions
in 24 states

42 commissions in 36 states

11 commissions in 11 states

25 commissions in 21 states

February, 2008

Note: This chart shows selected statutory powers and duties of ethics commissions. Some commissions that do not have statutory requirements to perform certain duties may have them in their rules and regulations.