Common Cause RI Testifies in Support of Restoring Ethics Commission Oversight

Common Cause RI Testifies in Support of Restoring Ethics Commission Oversight

Common Cause Rhode Island testified before the House committee on Judiciary in support of H 8189 a resolution sponsored by House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello to restore full jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission over members of the General Assembly. 

Read the Testimony Here 

The testimony states support while asking that additional language be added to enhance the proposal. Common Cause also seeks to have a moratorium on complaints removed from the proposal and adopted directly by the Ethics Commission. 

"Common Cause believes Speaker Mattiello's proposal achieves our long sought goal of lifting the immunity granted to legislators by the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 2009. This is an important step in restoring the public's faith that conflicts of interest by legislators are being dealt with. We believe Speaker Mattiello is correct to seek a moratorium on complaints to the Ethics Commission prior to elections to protect the process from being politicized, and we have sent a letter to the Commission asking that they enact a change to their regulations," says John Marion, Common Cause executive director.

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If H 8189 or its companion resolution S 2953 pass both chambers before the end of the legislative session, a question will appear on the November ballot asking voters whether they would like to make the proposal changes to the Rhode Island Constitution. 

Common Cause RI 

Common Cause Rhode Island is a nonpartisan organization whose mission is to ensure open, ethical, accountable, and effective government processes at the state and local level by educating and mobilizing the citizens of Rhode Island.