A bill updating last year’s conflict of interest law has passed the Senate and will be a vote away in the House away from heading to the governor.

 

House Bill 1170, which amends the conflict of interest disclosure law, passed the Senate Local Government committee on a unanimous vote and received a lone nay vote in the Senate.

 

“(The bill) strengthens the intention behind last year’s act,” Rep. Mark Mickelson, the bill’s main sponsor, said during its committee hearing.

 

Primary adjustments to the conflict of interest law found in HB 1170 include:

• Establishment of a $5,000 financial threshold for conflict of interest disclosures;
• Required authorization from the governing board before a member can enter into a contract, which if extending over consecutive fiscal years would require annual disclosure;
• Notice of who must disclose a potential conflict, including a board member, business manager, chief financial officer, superintendent, chief executive officer or other person with the authority to enter into a contract or spend money;
• Development of a conflict of interest disclosure form by the state’s Attorney general;
• Permitting the official minutes of a board in which disclosure is made and approved to be the official document submitted to the state’s Attorney General.

ASBSD supports the bill. Executive Director Wade Pogany said during the committee hearing that HB 1170 was “going to do a tremendous job” ensuring board members and administrators were clear on the law’s requirements.

 

HB 1170 returns to the House for review of the amendments added to the bill in the Senate

 

For updates, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter feed and Bill Tracker.