Photo by Mr. T in DC.

Just as she promised at a hearing in late October, a new three-person Board of Ethics and Government Accountability is the centerpiece of comprehensive ethics legislation Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) has drafted and will put to her colleagues before the end of the year.

The board would be split off from the existing D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and be charged with enforcing ethics rules and overseeing compliance with the Open Meetings Law. It would have full subpoena power, investigate and implement best practices from across the country and be able to impose $5,000 fines for violations of ethics rules.

Bowser’s proposed board will also be able to recommend that members of the D.C. Council be censured for any violations, and potentially lose committee assignments and voting privileges. Moreover, if the board rules against an elected official, they’ll be subject to recall by voters no matter how far into their term they might be. Under current law, a recall can only be initiated after the official has completed their first year in office and before they start their last.

Councilmembers would be held to the same code of conduct that governs government employees; currently, they’re exempt.

The law would also tighten up reporting requirements from lobbyists and prohibit free or discounted legal services from them to councilmembers. It would make elected officials have to offer up more information about their personal finances, including all outside income, and sign disclosure forms stating that they were current on their taxes, hadn’t received bribes and weren’t taking in government money through illegal channels.

Other provisions would regulate transition and inaugural committees, cut in half annual contributions to Constituent Services Funds from $80,000 to $40,000 and set down rules for Legal Defense Funds.

Attention-grabbing proposals like term limits, an end to outside employment and public financing of campaigns did not make the cut, neither did more technical proposals like a ban on the bundling of campaign contributions.

Bowser has said that she plans on holding a hearing on the legislation in late November and putting the proposal to a full council vote in December. Once it passes the council and makes it through congressional review, the new board will have 90 days to take shape.

d c Ethics Bill Draft