Latest news with #EthicsCommission
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
MBTA Orange Line floods during nor'easter; shuts down service
A long stretch of the MBTA's Orange Line was shut down for roughly four hours Thursday, after a nor'easter that brought heavy rain to Massachusetts caused flooding along the subway line. The MBTA first reported the flood conditions at the Ruggles station in Roxbury at 6:50 p.m., telling commuters that shuttle buses would replace service from Ruggles to Forest Hills, the end of the line. But by around 8:30 p.m., the T had shut down Orange Line service between North Station and Forest Hills. Shuttle buses replaced service between Back Bay and Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain, and riders were encouraged to use the Green Line to replace service downtown. The T also ran shuttles between Back Bay and Copley. Regular service between North Station and Back Bay resumed around 10:20 p.m., and the transit agency reported the delay had cleared by 11 p.m. The delays prompted some to voice their frustration on X. "Why are you so bad at everything?" wrote one user. 'Do better,' added another. Foxboro MBTA commuter rail station work rushing to be ready by FIFA games Mass. man struck and killed by Commuter Rail train remembered as 'dear and humble' Berated, spat on, and even stabbed: Can a new bill stop assaults on bus and train drivers? Your MBTA Commuter Rail train may now run on vegetable oil Ethics Commission accuses retired MBTA manager of violating conflict of interest law Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
R.I. Ethics Commission allows Senate leader Ciccone to vote on assault weapons bill as gun dealer
'(Ciccone) would be impacted by the legislation to no greater extent than any other individual member of the class of 99 (federal firearms license) holders or the subclass of 80 (federal firearms license) holders who deal firearms other than destructive devices to which he belongs,' the advisory opinion states. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up 'It is therefore the opinion of the Ethics Commission that the specific facts of this case justify the application of the class exception,' it says, 'and that (Ciccone) is not prohibited by the Code of Ethics from participating in Senate discussions and voting on the proposed legislation.' Advertisement But the commission said Ciccone should recuse himself from discussion and votes if 'his participation at any point veers into revising the proposed legislation in such a way that it would impact a smaller class or subclass of (federal firearms license) holders.' The advisory opinion said Ciccone 'derives little, if any, income from firearm sales, and that it has never been a primary source of income. He clarifies that he mainly uses his license to complete Advertisement Callahan noted that as the Senate's Democratic majority leader, Ciccone wields more influence than a rank-and-file senator. But Commission Chairman Lauren E. Jones noted that Ciccone still has only one vote. Callahan also addressed the relatively small size of the group of federal firearms license holders. 'This is a much smaller group but it could have a dramatic impact on their entire industry,' he said. Ethics Commission member Scott P. Rabideau, a former state legislator, asked if has the commission has ever set a minimum threshold for a class size. Staff attorney Lynne Radiches said the commission has not set a minimum size for classes. She said that when a class involves 13,000 teachers, for example, the analysis is 'easy-peasy,' she said. Ethics Commission member Frank J. Cenerini, a former state judge, said he thought 99 was a large enough group to warrant application of the class exception. Common Cause Rhode Island executive director John M. Marion said he was not surprised by the commission's decision 'given how the Ethics Commission has moved toward a liberal application of the class exception.' But he said he was surprised that the commission had 'robust discussion' about the meaning of the class exception. And he said he's disappointed they did not explore the role that a legislative leader plays and how that differs from simply voting on legislation. Advertisement 'The majority leader helps set the agenda for the chamber in deciding what bills move and die,' Marion said. 'And that is part of the behavior that the Ethics Commission can regulate. So they should discus that behavior, not just a legislator's vote on a particular bill.' In a But Ciccone was Senator Louis P. DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, has proposed a But Ciccone is not one of co-sponsors. He told the Globe he considers the bill to be unconstitutional. 'It had some language in it that I don't think would've passed muster,' he said, citing a provision for a gun registry. Also, Ciccone said DiPalma's bill proposed banning 'a list of probably every single type weapon you could think of. He said he told DiPalma, 'This looks like an old bill rehashed, so I'm gonna pass on it.' Last week, the bill came before the 10-member Senate Judiciary Committee, which is seen as being evenly split between supporters and opponents of the bill. The bill's fate could hinge on whether Ciccone, new Senate President Valarie J. Lawson, and Senate Majority Whip David P. Tikoian use their ex-officio powers to vote the bill out of committee and onto the Senate floor. Advertisement Ciccone did not commit to voting the bill out of committee. He said the House might be making changes to the legislation, and he wants to see what the amended bill looks like. Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota governor issues 7 line-item vetoes, including lawmaker ‘immunity' provision
Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, left, talks to Gov. Kelly Armstrong on May 3, 2025, after lawmakers adjourned. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued seven line-item vetoes on six bills Monday, with many objections focused on policies he felt lawmakers 'shoehorned' into budget bills or encroached on executive authority. One line-item veto was of a section of the Ethics Commission's budget bill meant to protect lawmakers from being prosecuted for conflicts of interest — though he let a similar clause in the bill become law. Both provisions, part of Senate Bill 2004, concerned lawmakers who have a special interest in the outcome of legislation. Under House and Senate rules, lawmakers are supposed to notify their peers when they believe they have conflict of interest with a bill so that their colleagues can decide whether to excuse them from voting. They may also seek guidance from the Ethics Commission. North Dakota lawmakers approve Ethics Commission bill with deadline removed The vetoed clause stated that if a lawmaker voted on a bill they had a conflict of interest with, but followed legislative ethics rules and/or followed informal guidance from the Ethics Commission, they couldn't be prosecuted for any potential crime that stemmed from that vote. In a line-item veto message, Armstrong said the provision 'sends the wrong message to North Dakotans.' 'While transparency and ethical conduct are essential in a representative democracy, this provision elevates internal legislative procedure above state law, effectively shielding lawmakers from accountability under our criminal code,' he wrote. He said the clause would create another blanket protection for lawmakers at a time when the state 'already has opaque campaign finance laws.' The Legislature at the last minute rejected a bill some hoped would increase campaign finance disclosure requirements — a move Armstrong criticized. Armstrong signed the rest of the Ethics Commission budget into law, which included another more narrow immunity clause. The narrower section protects a lawmaker from being prosecuted under a specific statute for voting on a bill they have conflict of interest with if they follow House and Senate ethics rules. The statute, titled 'speculating or wagering on official action or information,' is what Rep. Jason Dockter, R-Bismarck, was convicted of last year. 'Section 4 of Senate Bill 2004 is acceptable and reasonable because it appropriately clarifies that legislators must have the freedom to perform their official duties without fear of prosecution,' Armstrong said in his veto message. Effort to improve North Dakota campaign finance reporting fails The Ethics Commission expressed earlier this month that the immunity provision the governor vetoed would have made it legally more risky for the commission to give informal advice. House Bill 1003, budget for the attorney general: Armstrong vetoed a provision that sought to prevent a district court judge from waiving fees for the 24/7 sobriety program. 'It invites a constitutional challenge and will only increase costs and jail overcrowding for counties,' Armstrong wrote in his veto message. He also noted a standalone bill, Senate Bill 2365, had the same provision but failed in the House, yet the policy was later 'logrolled' the budget bill. Senate Bill 2014, North Dakota Industrial Commission budget: The governor vetoed a $150,000 passthrough grant from the Housing Incentive Fund to a Native American-focused organization to fund a homelessness liaison position. 'Addressing homelessness and housing insecurity requires a comprehensive, sustainable, and statewide strategy, not isolated, one-time allocations to individual entities,' Armstrong wrote in his veto message. Also in that bill, Armstrong vetoed a mandate for the Bank of North Dakota to spend up to $250,000 to study economic development strategies in western North Dakota as oil production decreases. The governor said the Department of Commerce already has the authority to do such a study. House Bill 1019, Parks and Recreation Department budget: Armstrong vetoed a portion of the bill that sought to eliminate the department's ability to rename state parks and require legislative approval for name changes. Armstrong wrote that provision encroaches on the executive branch. It also could complicate matters if federal dollars were contingent on the renaming of a state park, he said. Last November, the department changed the name of the state park in Medora to Rough Rider State Park. Senate Bill 2001, Legislative Council budget: Armstrong vetoed a line in the budget that reserves the 15th floor of the Capitol for legislative staff. The floor is occupied now by the Department of Career and Technical Education. Armstrong said lawmakers did not get input from his administration, the department affected or the public. He said his administration will help identify available Capitol space, but he objected to doing so in state law. Senate Bill 2018, Department of Commerce budget: Armstrong vetoed $350,000 to the State Fair Association for sanitation restoration projects. The governor said that funding should have been included in the State Fair Association's primary budget. He said adding it to the Commerce budget at the end of the session 'is a clear example of logrolling, which undermines transparency, accountability, and the principle of deliberate budgeting.' 'Through limited use of my line-item veto authority, we've reduced spending, protected the integrity of the budgeting process and preserved executive branch authority to ensure that state government remains efficient and transparent,' Armstrong said in a statement Monday. Sen. David Hogue, R-Minot, chair of the Legislative Management Committee, said Monday that while he may disagree with some of the vetoes, he does not believe Armstrong overstepped his authority. 'I don't think they (the vetoes) rise to the level of a situation where we'd want to independently call ourselves into session,' Hogue said. 'If we had another reason, we might take them up, but these vetoes would not be the impetus in my view.' The Legislature, which adjourned earlier this month, does not have to act on the vetoes within a set amount of days, said Emily Thompson, director of the legal division of Legislative Council. She added lawmakers would need to use at least one of their six remaining legislative days to consider a potential veto override. Lawmakers during the 2025 session passed a total of 601 bills. Armstrong signed 597 and vetoed four bills in their entirety: a bill affecting state employee health insurance, a library content bill, a private school voucher bill and a tax credit for prison industries. Budget bills take effect July 1 and policy bills take effect Aug. 1. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Dakota lawmakers approve Ethics Commission bill with deadline removed
North Dakota Ethics Commissioner Murray Sagsveen, left, and Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, talk while walking in the hall of the Capitol on May 1, 2025. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota lawmakers on Friday approved an Ethics Commission budget full of major policy changes — though they abandoned a controversial proposal that would have imposed a deadline for ethics complaints. The budget, totaling nearly $1.4 million, was forwarded to both chambers for a vote that morning following final amendments from a six-member conference committee. The Senate approved the budget by a 44-2 vote, while the House passed it 71-19. The Ethics Commission sought money in Senate Bill 2004 for a fourth staff member for the 2025-2027 budget cycle, which the Legislature ultimately rejected. That employee would have focused on education and communications. The Senate initially approved the request, setting aside $250,000 for a two-year salary, benefits as well as other costs. The House later axed this funding — a move the conference committee sustained. Legislators did agree to fund a $50,000 case management system to help the commission track filings, which staff say will help them work more efficiently. Other noteworthy provisions in the budget include a handful of changes intended to fix bottlenecks in the Ethics Commission's complaint process. Some lawmakers who worked on the budget this session complained that the commission sometimes takes years to resolve complaints. Some complaints are more than two years old. Meanwhile, the commission has received a flood of new filings since Jan. 1. As of April 28, the board had received 68 complaints since the start of 2025. That's more than the commission received in all of 2024. Some, though not all, of the policy changes in the budget were originally proposed in bills that died earlier this session, like House Bill 1360 and House Bill 1505. Generally, the Ethics Commission is opposed to adding policy into the budget bill, said Executive Director Rebecca Binstock. She said she worries some of the provisions will add red tape to the commission's work, though she expects at least a few to help the board's work go more smoothly. 'The commission's position has always been that we prefer a clean budget,' Binstock said. Ethics commissioners say bill would impose an arbitrary cutoff for investigations One provision in the bill approved Friday would allow the commission to informally settle ethics complaints directly with the accused. Previously, the commission could only act as a mediator to broker informal resolutions between the accused and the filer — which sometimes doesn't work if that filer's demands were unrealistic. The commission must attempt to mediate between both parties first, however. Another requires the commission to develop time management standards for processing complaints, which Binstock said the commission supports and wanted to pursue anyway. Until Thursday, the budget included a mandate for the Ethics Commission to dismiss complaints after 180 days. It was added as part of an amendment brought by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, who said it is needed to make sure the commission's investigations don't drag on indefinitely. 'It's just a matter of fairness to the accused,' Nathe said previously. 'They shouldn't have to sit there with this hanging over their head for years at a time.' The Ethics Commission opposed the six-month window as a threat to its work, arguing that many complaints cannot be effectively probed within that timeframe and that it would incentivize people accused of ethics violations to obstruct investigations to run out the clock. In place of the deadline, the conference committee added a clause that states an individual accused of a violation may petition the commission at any time to dismiss the complaint against them. The Ethics Commission will have to draft a policy implementing this language. Some lawmakers said the root of the commission's backlog of complaints stems from a lack of resources, and that the budget does not address this problem. Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, unsuccessfully brought a budget amendment to more than double the commission's staff, arguing that the funding is necessary for the body to do its job effectively. 'I think the activity thus far indicates that we have a lack in that we don't have another staff person,' Mathern said on the floor Friday. 'However, we've made some progress, and hopefully by the next time we meet next session, we can get that other staff person to help us all do a great job.' Voters created an ethics commission in North Dakota. Then the Legislature limited its power. A separate amendment brought by Rep. Karla Rose Hanson, D-Fargo, requires the commission to publish an annual report providing details about its work, including the number of complaints filed and what the commission has done to resolve them. The bill also allows people accused of violations to discuss complaints against them. Another section protects lawmakers from being prosecuted with a conflict of interest crime for voting on bills so long as they observe the proper legislative conflict of interest rules or heed the informal advice of an Ethics Commission staff member. The bill advances to Gov. Kelly Armstrong for his consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
R.I. senators vying for leadership posts face potential conflicts of interest
Advertisement Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, works full-time as president of the Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up John M. Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said, 'If she becomes Senate president, there is a good chance she opens herself up to future complaints if she remains NEARI president because NEARI has so much business before the Legislature and the Senate presidency uniquely controls the agenda and appointments in the chamber.' In 2019, the state Ethics Commission Advertisement And in 2024, the Ethics Commission But the circumstances would be different if Lawson is president of both the Senate and NEARI, Marion said. 'Lawson is no longer a classroom teacher or vice president of NEARI,' he said. 'She's president of NEARI, responsible for a very large organization with lots of business before the state Senate. Her duty to lead NEARI at the same time as exercising the vast powers of Senate president create a unique challenge.' The potential conflicts could involve a wide range of significant issues, including how union contracts are negotiated, and how labor disputes are resolved, he said. Marion said other legislators might be able to sidestep conflicts of interest by recusing themselves from certain votes and stepping out of the room during any debate. 'But as Senate president, you can't really step out of the room when the final decision needs to be made,' he said, noting the Senate president plays a pivotal role in deciding which bills make it to floor votes and in negotiating with the House and the governor. Marion said her potential conflicts differ from those of Ciccone and Pearson because she holds the top job at her union while Ciccone is a consultant for a union, and Pearson is a vice president at a bank. Of course, Lawson could avoid those potential conflicts by stepping down as NEARI president, Marion said. He noted Ruggerio, who was 76, had retired from the New England Laborers' Labor-Management Cooperation Trust when he was leading the Senate. But it remains unclear if Lawson, who is 58, will leave her NEARI post, for which she earns Advertisement Lawson could not immediately be reached for comment. Ciccone, 77, a Providence Democrat, receives income as a consultant for Local Union 808, as a senator, and as a 'federal firearms dealer,' according to his latest financial disclosure form filed with the Ethics Commission. He previously worked as a field representative for the Rhode Island Laborers' District Council and as business manager of Rhode Island Judicial, Professional, and Technical Employees Local Union 808. In 2008, In 2019, the Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion, saying the ethics code did not prohibit Ciccone from serving as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee. But the commission said he is prohibited from participating in matters that would directly impact his 'business associate,' Local Union 808. As majority leader, Ciccone could face potential conflicts as a union consultant and firearms dealer, Marion said. 'But there are tools to deal with that, like recusal,' he said. Ciccone also has faced criticism for his involvement in a 2012 episode in which Barrington police say Advertisement That issue never came before the Ethics Commission. 'But certainly it was wrong,' Marion said. 'He has a track record of poor decision making.' Pearson, 36, a Cumberland Democrat, receives income as a senior vice president at Citizens Bank, as a senator, and as a partner in Hanaway Real Estate Holdings, according to his latest financial disclosure form. In 2020, the Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion, saying the ethics code did not prohibit Pearson from participating in Senate discussions and voting on the state budget, but he had to recuse himself from discussions or votes on line items or budget amendments that could financially impact Citizens. In 2024, Pearson 'Pearson would not be immune from navigating ethics concerns if he kept his day job because he works for one of the largest employers in the state,' Marion said. The potential conflicts facing all three senators 'speaks particularly to the challenges of a part-time Legislature where people don't get paid a living wage and therefore have to have outside employment,' Marion said. Rank-and file senators earn Ciccone and Pearson could not be immediately reached for comment. Advertisement Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
