| 1 | 1 | | StateofVermont |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | HouseofRepresentatives |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | Montpelier,Vermont |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | HouseResolution |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | H.R.6 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | OfferedbyRepresentativesLaLondeofSouthBurlington,Cinaof |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Burlington,Morgan,M.ofMilton,OdeofBurlington,andTaylorofMilton |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | HouseresolutionamendingHouseRulesrelatingtotheHouseEthicsPanel |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | ResolvedbytheHouseofRepresentatives: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | ThatthislegislativebodyamendsRule90(b)oftheRulesandOrdersofthe |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | HouseofRepresentativesasfollows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (b)Ethics. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (1)Standardsofethicalconduct.TheHouseofRepresentatives, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | withoutqualification,isopposedtoandprohibitsviolationsoftheVermont |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | ConstitutionandHouseRulesstandardsofethicalconduct.Thispolicycovers |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | theconductofRepresentativesandpersonsemployedintheSpeaker’sOffice |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | andHouseClerk’sOffice. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (A)Amembershallrespectandcomplywiththelaw,theseRules, |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | andanyotherstandardofconductapplicabletothememberinthe |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | performanceofthemember’sdutiesinamannerthatpromotespublic |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | confidenceintheintegrityoftheHouse. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (B)Amembershallcomplywith17V.S.A.§ 2414(legislative |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | candidatedisclosureform). |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (C)Onorbeforethe10thdayofthebeginningofthebiennium,each |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | membershallsubmittotheClerkadisclosureformpreparedbytheClerk. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | Theformshallbesignedbythemember,bepubliclyavailableontheofficial |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | webpagesoftheHouseofRepresentativesandoftheClerkoftheHouse,and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | maybeupdated.Theformshallsetforth,tothebestofthemember’sability, |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | thefollowinginformationapplicableasofthedateofsubmission: |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (i)anyboards,commissions,orsimilarentitiesthatareregulated |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | bylaworthatreceivefundingfromtheStateonwhichthememberserves;the |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | member’spositionontheboard,commission,orsimilarentity;and,exceptin |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | thecaseoflegislativeappointments,whetherthememberreceivesanyformof |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | remunerationforthatposition;and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (ii)themember’semployer. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (2)HouseEthicsPanel.TheHouseRulesCommitteeshall,atthe |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | beginningofthebiennium,appointanEthicsPanelcomposedoffivemembers |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | oftheHousewhoshallserveuntilsuccessorsareappointed. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (A)(i)ThePanelshallelectachair,adoptprocedurestoconductits |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | businesstoimplementtheprovisionsofthisethicsrule,andprovidecopiesof theadoptedprocedurestoallmembersoftheHouseandpersonsemployedin |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | theSpeaker’sOfficeandHouseClerk’sOffice. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (ii)ThePanelmaymeetremotelyduringadjournmenttoconsider |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | complaintsassetforthintheProcedureofthePanelProcedureforHandling |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | EthicsComplaints.However,ifthePanelconductsahearingatwhich |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | argumentsarepresented,evidenceispresented,orwitnessesarequestioned,at |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | leastaquorumofthemembersofthePanelshallbephysicallypresentatthe |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | hearing.ThePanel,atthediscretionofthePanelChair,mayallowmembers, |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | witnesses,orothernecessaryparticipantstoparticipateusingcontemporaneous |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | videooraudioconferencetransmissionfromoneormoredifferentremote |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | locations. |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | (B)ThePanelshalladviseindividualmembersandprovidetraining |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | toallmembersonHousememberstandardsofethicalconduct,including |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | compliancewithHouseRule75. |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (C)ThePanelshallreceiveandinvestigatecomplaintsofalleged |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | violationsofHousememberstandardsofethicalconductmadeagainst |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | membersoftheHouse,andmayinvestigatesuchallegedviolationsonitsown |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | initiative. |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | (i)ThePanel,byavoteofatleastfourofitsmembers,may |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | subpoenatheattendanceandtestimonyofwitnessesandtheproductionof |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | documentsandotheritemsasitdeemsnecessarytoconductaninvestigation. |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (ii)InthecaseofaPanelmember’srecusalorotherabsence |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | duringthePanel’sreviewofacomplaint,theHouseRulesCommitteemay |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | appointanadhocmembertothePanelforthatmatter,uponrequestofthe |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | ChairofthePanel. |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | (D)IfacomplaintbeforethePanelorthependencyofan |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | investigationbythePanelisgenerallyknowntothepublic,through |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | independentsources,andthesubjectmatterofthecomplaintisofbroadpublic |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | interestorspeculation,andpublicconfidenceinthePanel’sadministrationof |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | theseRulesortheProcedureofthePanelmaybethreatenedbecauseoflackof |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | informationconcerningthestatusoftheinvestigation,thePanelmayissuea |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | briefstatementasitmaydeemappropriatetoconfirmtheexistenceofthe |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | investigation,toclarifytheproceduralaspectsoftheinvestigation,andto |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | explainthattherespondentisentitledtodueprocess. |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | (E)ThePanelmayrecommendtotheHouseanydisciplinaryaction |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | againstamemberforanethicalviolation. |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | (F)ThePanelshallissueaclosurereportregardingthefinal |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | dispositionofeachcomplaintsubmittedtothePanel.Theclosurereportshall |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | notidentifythecomplainant,respondent,oranyotherpersonbyname,but |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | shallcontainasummaryofthecomplaintallegations,thefinaldispositionof |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | thecomplaint,andthebasistherefor.ThePanelshallmaintainitsclosure |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | reportsinaregistryonitswebpage. |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | (G)ExceptasprovidedintheseRulesandintheProcedureofthe |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | Panel: |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | (i)MembersofthePanelandPanelstaffshallkeepconfidential |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | anyinformationreceivedandanyrecordsproducedoracquiredinaccordance |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | withtheseRulesortheProcedureofthePanel,providedthatthePanelmay |
|---|
| 87 | 87 | | discloseinformationandrecordsreceivedundertheseRulesandtheProcedure |
|---|
| 88 | 88 | | ofthePanelasfollows: |
|---|
| 89 | 89 | | (I)toacourtofcompetentjurisdictionpursuanttoacourt |
|---|
| 90 | 90 | | order; |
|---|
| 91 | 91 | | (II)toaStateorfederallawenforcementagencyinthecourse |
|---|
| 92 | 92 | | oftheagency’sinvestigation,providedthattheagencyagreestomaintainthe |
|---|
| 93 | 93 | | confidentialityoftheinformationorrecordsprovided; (III)tothemembersorstaffoftheDiscriminationPrevention |
|---|
| 94 | 94 | | PanelorthemembersorstaffoftheSexualHarassmentPreventionPanelto |
|---|
| 95 | 95 | | informaninvestigationundertheseRulesbyeitherPanel,providedthatthe |
|---|
| 96 | 96 | | membersagreetomaintaintheconfidentialityoftheinformationorrecords |
|---|
| 97 | 97 | | provided. |
|---|
| 98 | 98 | | (ii)Allrecordsproducedoracquiredinaccordancewiththese |
|---|
| 99 | 99 | | RulesandintheProcedureofthePanelarenotsubjecttothePublicRecords |
|---|
| 100 | 100 | | Act. |
|---|
| 101 | 101 | | (E)(H)Annually,onorbeforeDecember31,thePanelshallreportto |
|---|
| 102 | 102 | | theHousethenumberofcomplaintsfiled,ageneraldescriptionofthetopicof |
|---|
| 103 | 103 | | eachcomplaint,thedispositionofthosecomplaints,andthenumberof |
|---|
| 104 | 104 | | memberrequestsforethicaladvice. |
|---|
| 105 | 105 | | (3)Retaliationprohibited.TheseRulesprohibitretaliationagainsta |
|---|
| 106 | 106 | | personwhocomplains,reports,orcooperatesinaninvestigationofanethics |
|---|
| 107 | 107 | | violation. |
|---|