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Health & Fitness

ETHICS REFORM IN MR. JEFFERSON'S CAPITOL

by Del. Richard L. Anderson

As the eyes of the country focus on November elections in our Commonwealth, the eyes of our fellow Virginians are focused on ethics reform in Mr. Jefferson’s Virginia state capitol.

And that responsibility for reform rests squarely on the shoulders of the General Assembly.

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Having spent 30 years in the uniform of the greatest Air Force the world has ever known, and living under the exacting ethical standards imposed on military members, I am concerned about ethical guidelines for those who serve in public office.

Now is the time to do the right thing.

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Over the last six months, I have been working with colleagues at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on the subject of ethics reform in the 50 states. NCSL is a bi-partisan organization widely known as “The Forum for America’s Ideas,” and I am one of 30 legislators from across America who sit on its governing body.  

From that vantage point, I’ve had access to how all 50 states regulate legislative ethics and reporting requirements across the country.  Using that data, I have been working for several months on an ethics reform bill that I will introduce in the 2014 General Assembly session.

My work is still underway, and I hope to release it sometime in November or December for public comment, but several things cry out for resolution.

First, we must establish a reporting system that is more frequent than the current annual system. Transparency demands it, and the people of Virginia demand it. I will advocate strongly for it.

Second, we must include reporting requirements for those family members in the immediate orbit of public officials. That means spouses, dependent children, and others who we will define in January during our 2014 legislative session.  

Third, we must take a serious look at the possibility of reasonable caps on the monetary value of items that may be accepted by elected (and perhaps appointed) officials in Virginia. A number of politicians and editorial pages in Virginia have suggested a wide array of proposals, which tells me that this will require a sincere effort at consensus building. My focus with NCSL has been to make recommendations based on analytical research and best practices, not on personal whim.

Fourth, we must write and implement a rigorous training program for newly-elected officials and conduct recurring training during the course of their periods of service.

Fifth, we must design mechanisms by which we hold officials accountable if they do not live up to our ethical expectations. This will be a point of much discussion in Richmond in January. I will be fully engaged in the process.

Although I have been hard at work on an ethics bill, I expect that no less than a dozen bills will be submitted by legislators.  In the end, I look forward to working with my Republican and Democrat colleagues in the House and Senate to find a way forward that meets the expectations of our fellow Virginians.

If you wish to make your voice heard as I put the finishing touches on my proposals, please email me at DelRAnderson@house.virginia.gov or call our office at 571-264-9983 to speak with me directly. And if you have a unique perspective that can’t wait until the next business day, my home telephone number in Woodbridge is 703-730-1380.

Whether one hails from Virginia, Hawaii, or points in-between, all can agree that Virginia is truly the cradle of American democracy. As intended by the Founders, our Constitutional Republic works only if its public officials live up to their oaths—and execute their public trust with total integrity, full transparency, and complete accountability. Virginia is where the American experiment started, and Virginia must now lead on this issue.

Our fellow citizens expect it.  Our history and heritage demand it.

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Del. Rich Anderson represents the 51st House District in the Virginia General Assembly. He is a retired 30-year Air Force colonel and chair of the General Assembly Military and Veteran Caucus. He sits on four standing House committees:  Finance, General Laws, Science and Technology, and Transportation. In 2013, he has received a grade of "A" from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business, Virginia Farmers, and numerous other organizations. In recent months, he has been designated by Virginia Veterans as their "2013 Legislator of the Year" and by Virginia's handicapped community as their "2013 Legislator of the Year."

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