Press Release – May 17, 2016
Delaware Senate Majority Caucus
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jesse Chadderdon (302) 744-4282 or (302) 743-0945;
Mat Marshall (302) 744-4180 or (302) 577-8897
Delaware Senate Majority Caucus
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jesse Chadderdon (302) 744-4282 or (302) 743-0945;
Mat Marshall (302) 744-4180 or (302) 577-8897
Trio of open government bills introduced by Senate, House Democrats
A package of three bills introduced in the General Assembly Tuesday would take new steps to require transparency of lobbyists and donors who interact with state officials.
Senate Bills 224 and 225, both sponsored by Sen. Bryan Townsend, aim to increase reporting requirements for those who lobby the General Assembly or contribute to political campaigns. House Bill 385, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, reforms transparency requirements for state lobbyists.
“Open government is not a partisan issue, it is a fundamental promise in any healthy democracy. It is a cornerstone of public trust,” Townsend said. “As elected officials, we should go the extra mile to ensure we maintain the public’s trust. We should be giving Delawareans every reason to have confidence in their democracy and our governmental institutions.”
Together, the bills call on paid lobbyists to report their compensation to the Delaware Public Integrity Commission, while requiring a registration fee that funds the oversight activities of the Commission. The package also calls on political donors to state and local candidates to disclose their occupations – something already required by the Federal Elections Commission for congressional and presidential candidates. Under current state law, candidates for office are only required to report the names and addresses of donors, making it difficult for the public to ascertain which industries and interests are funding and supporting campaigns.
“These are substantive, proven, holistic reforms that enhance our democracy and add clarity to the processes by which officials are elected and consider legislation,” Townsend said. “I am proud to be joined by a strong coalition of lawmakers who agree we should take proactive steps to modernize state law so it best reflects and honors the principles underpinning our Constitution.”
SB 225 also strikes a state law that exempts members of the General Assembly from public integrity laws that govern other state employees. If passed, the bill would explicitly prohibit the use of any public resources for political activities, private personal gain, or private benefit of another person.
President Pro Tempore Patricia Blevins says that the reforms encapsulated in the legislation represent a proactive step forward.
“As public servants and legislators, we have a responsibility to lead on policy, but we also have a responsibility to lead by example,” Blevins said. “This package codifies the ideals that we’ve all shared since becoming public servants: the importance of integrity, the public’s right to be informed, and the need for accountability in all that we do.”
HB 385 would require the Public Integrity Commission to collect and report information on whether lobbyists are compensated by their clients. It would also make a lobbyist’s registration contingent on payment of an administrative fee, meant to defray the Commission’s cost of monitoring lobbyist activity and administering lobbyist reporting requirements.
Rep. Paul Baumbach, prime sponsor of HB 385, says the Public Integrity Commission could be a more effective watchdog if it had additional resources.
“The Public Integrity Commission operates with a limited staff on a shoestring budget, keeping track of hundreds of registered lobbyists and thousands of reports they generate each year,” Baumbach said. “If we want the Commission to provide more information to the public and aggressively pursue complaints and grievances, I think it’s only fair that those who create this workload help offset the costs. This bill also will increase transparency by letting the public know whether a lobbyist is being compensated by a client.”
Claire Snyder-Hall, program director for the good government group Common Cause Delaware, endorsed the new legislation.
“With money in politics on the top of the political agenda across the country, Common Cause Delaware applauds Sen. Bryan Townsend and Rep. Paul Baumbach for introducing three bills designed to enhance transparency and accountability,” she said. “By increasing the public’s ability to know who funds political candidates and lobbyists, strengthening our Public Integrity Commission, and banning state employees from using public resources for private gain, these bills strengthen democracy in the First State.”
In addition to Townsend, Blevins and Baumbach, co-sponsors listed on the bills include Majority Whip Sen. Margaret Rose Henry; Sens. David Sokola, Robert Marshall, and Karen Peterson; and Reps. Helene Keeley, Sean Lynn and John Kowalko.
Senate Bills 224 and 225, both sponsored by Sen. Bryan Townsend, aim to increase reporting requirements for those who lobby the General Assembly or contribute to political campaigns. House Bill 385, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, reforms transparency requirements for state lobbyists.
“Open government is not a partisan issue, it is a fundamental promise in any healthy democracy. It is a cornerstone of public trust,” Townsend said. “As elected officials, we should go the extra mile to ensure we maintain the public’s trust. We should be giving Delawareans every reason to have confidence in their democracy and our governmental institutions.”
Together, the bills call on paid lobbyists to report their compensation to the Delaware Public Integrity Commission, while requiring a registration fee that funds the oversight activities of the Commission. The package also calls on political donors to state and local candidates to disclose their occupations – something already required by the Federal Elections Commission for congressional and presidential candidates. Under current state law, candidates for office are only required to report the names and addresses of donors, making it difficult for the public to ascertain which industries and interests are funding and supporting campaigns.
“These are substantive, proven, holistic reforms that enhance our democracy and add clarity to the processes by which officials are elected and consider legislation,” Townsend said. “I am proud to be joined by a strong coalition of lawmakers who agree we should take proactive steps to modernize state law so it best reflects and honors the principles underpinning our Constitution.”
SB 225 also strikes a state law that exempts members of the General Assembly from public integrity laws that govern other state employees. If passed, the bill would explicitly prohibit the use of any public resources for political activities, private personal gain, or private benefit of another person.
President Pro Tempore Patricia Blevins says that the reforms encapsulated in the legislation represent a proactive step forward.
“As public servants and legislators, we have a responsibility to lead on policy, but we also have a responsibility to lead by example,” Blevins said. “This package codifies the ideals that we’ve all shared since becoming public servants: the importance of integrity, the public’s right to be informed, and the need for accountability in all that we do.”
HB 385 would require the Public Integrity Commission to collect and report information on whether lobbyists are compensated by their clients. It would also make a lobbyist’s registration contingent on payment of an administrative fee, meant to defray the Commission’s cost of monitoring lobbyist activity and administering lobbyist reporting requirements.
Rep. Paul Baumbach, prime sponsor of HB 385, says the Public Integrity Commission could be a more effective watchdog if it had additional resources.
“The Public Integrity Commission operates with a limited staff on a shoestring budget, keeping track of hundreds of registered lobbyists and thousands of reports they generate each year,” Baumbach said. “If we want the Commission to provide more information to the public and aggressively pursue complaints and grievances, I think it’s only fair that those who create this workload help offset the costs. This bill also will increase transparency by letting the public know whether a lobbyist is being compensated by a client.”
Claire Snyder-Hall, program director for the good government group Common Cause Delaware, endorsed the new legislation.
“With money in politics on the top of the political agenda across the country, Common Cause Delaware applauds Sen. Bryan Townsend and Rep. Paul Baumbach for introducing three bills designed to enhance transparency and accountability,” she said. “By increasing the public’s ability to know who funds political candidates and lobbyists, strengthening our Public Integrity Commission, and banning state employees from using public resources for private gain, these bills strengthen democracy in the First State.”
In addition to Townsend, Blevins and Baumbach, co-sponsors listed on the bills include Majority Whip Sen. Margaret Rose Henry; Sens. David Sokola, Robert Marshall, and Karen Peterson; and Reps. Helene Keeley, Sean Lynn and John Kowalko.
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Press Contacts
Scott Goss
Communications Director
(302) 744-4180
scott.goss@delaware.gov
Dylan McDowell
Communications Assistant
(302) 744-4282
dylan.mcdowell@delaware.gov
Scott Goss
Communications Director
(302) 744-4180
scott.goss@delaware.gov
Dylan McDowell
Communications Assistant
(302) 744-4282
dylan.mcdowell@delaware.gov