Three government ethics reform bills are paving the way for more openness in state government in the wake of several political scandals this past year.
The new laws, passed in early August, open nearly all hearings of the State Ethics Commission to the public, regulate contributions to legal defense funds and clarify ethics regulations made in previous years. The changes came after lobbyists pushed for greater transparency in the Commission's investigations.
"What we were hearing at the general assembly is that the press wants legislative hearings to be public record," said Representative Paul Luebke, a North Carolina House Democrat.
Public disapproval over recent political controversies-like former House Speaker Jim Black's acceptance of illegal contributions from chiropractors-motivated state legislators to open legislative ethics hearings to the public, Luebke said.
The changes came after outside reformers--concerned by the passage of laws last year that closed hearings to the public-lobbied for them to be open once again, Luebjavascript:trimBodyText();ke added.
The disbarment of former Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong also helped representatives see the value in opening legislative ethics hearings to the public, said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause-a nonprofit organization that lobbies for more open and accountable government.
Opening ethics hearings to the public also spurred a philosophical debate among state officials and lobbyists about whether public accountability or the individual privacy of legislators should take precedence in ethics investigations, Luebke said. The hearings, however, are still not completely transparent. They are only open to the public after probable cause has been demonstrated.
"This does protect someone who has been accused falsely," Phillips said.
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