Ethics Training Resources
Forty-four states include some type of ethics training in their new member orientations. In 16 states, training for new legislators is mandatory. Formal, ongoing training is available to all legislators in 17 states. States are almost equally divided as to whether the ethics commission or the legislature conducts the training. In at least seven states, the ethics commission or another body is mandated to provide such training, but legislators are not required to attend. Twenty-two states offer ethics training for legislative staff, and an increasing number offer similar training for lobbyists. Attendance usually is not mandated. California is one of the few states that requires every person who registers as a lobbyist to periodically attend an ethics course.
Most states offer rules-based training, which simply teaches legislators the law. A few states provide values-based training, which covers general ethics principles and decision-making.
The Center for Ethics in Government provides values-based ethics training to legislators, government staff and non-profit agencies. For more information, or to schedule a training seminar, contact Director Peggy Kerns at (303) 856-1447 or peggy.kerns@ncsl.org.
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