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SJ 28

Interim study resolution on the legislature's ethics processes

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pat Flowers

SJ 28 directs an interim study of the legislature's ethics processes, reviewing complaints, disclosure rules, enforcement, training, and transparency to propose improvements.

(S) Filed with Secretary of State
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Bill Summary · SJ 28

SJ 28 — Interim study resolution on the legislature's ethics processes

Status: Joint resolution (Interim study) — Filed with Secretary of State (May 5, 2025)
Introduced: January 8, 2025
Related draft: LC 4446 (replaces)

Purpose / intent

SJ 28 establishes an interim study of the legislature’s ethics processes. Its basic intent is to direct the Legislative Administration committee (or similar legislative body) to review how legislative ethics complaints, disclosure rules, enforcement, training, and related procedures operate and to identify possible statutory or rule changes to improve fairness, transparency, and effectiveness.

(Note: the published bill text is not included here. The summary describes the resolution’s stated purpose and the typical content of such interim-study resolutions.)

Key provisions (expected)

The resolution, as an interim study, typically instructs the designated committee to:
- Examine current legislative ethics rules, complaint intake and investigation processes, and adjudication mechanisms.
- Review disclosure and conflict-of-interest requirements for legislators and legislative staff.
- Assess sanctions, remedies, and enforcement capacity (including staffing and independence of investigators).
- Consider transparency and public access to ethics processes and records, confidentiality rules, and timelines for investigations.
- Evaluate training, preventive measures, and coordination with other state ethics or campaign-finance entities.
- Convene hearings, solicit testimony from stakeholders (legislators, staff, ethics officers, legal experts, and the public), and collect relevant data.
- Produce a written report with findings and recommendations for statutory or rule changes for the next legislative session.

Because the resolution text is not provided here, the above list describes the typical scope and deliverables for an interim study of this subject.

Who is affected

  • Members of the legislature and legislative staff (subject to any proposed rule or statutory changes).
  • Legislative Administration committee and any staff assigned to conduct the study.
  • Persons who bring or are subject to ethics complaints, including lobbyists and other external parties interacting with the Legislature.
  • The general public, to the extent the study leads to changes in transparency, filings, or enforcement.

Procedural timeline and status

  • Introduced in the Senate: January 8, 2025.
  • Public hearing: January 24, 2025.
  • Adopted by Senate and transmitted to House: January 28, 2025 (on consent calendar; rules suspended; immediate transmittal).
  • Subsequent committee referrals and hearings primarily in the Legislative Administration committees of both chambers during March–April 2025.
  • House Committee executive action and concurrence recorded April 24–28, 2025.
  • Transmitted, enrolled, and signed by Senate President and House Speaker: April–May 2025.
  • Filed with Secretary of State: May 5, 2025.

The entry “LC 4446 (replaces)” indicates SJ 28 replaces or supersedes an earlier draft identified by that legislative code.

Potential impact

  • Short term: creation of a formal review process, public hearings, and documentation of current strengths and gaps in legislative ethics procedures.
  • Medium/long term: the study could yield recommendations that lead to amended legislative rules or new statutes changing complaint procedures, disclosure requirements, enforcement authority, discipline mechanisms, or transparency standards. Any substantive changes would require follow‑on legislation or rulemaking in a future session.

If you want, I can:
- Locate and summarize the resolution’s exact text (LC 4446) to extract specific study instructions and reporting deadlines.
- Produce a checklist of issues the committee should address based on best practices in legislative ethics.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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