AN ACT relating to legislative ethics.
     Amend KRS 6.611 to exempt the cost of attendance or participation, and of food and beverages consumed at certain events, if the value of the food and beverages does not exceed the value that would be reimbursable for a legislator under guidelines adopted by the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 6.666 to allow the Legislative Ethics Commission to receive and initiate complaints, initiate investigations on its own motion, and conduct investigations, inquiries, and hearings concerning any matter covered by the code; prohibit the Legislative Ethics Commission from conducting an investigation based solely on uncorroborated anonymous communications; amend KRS 6.686 to permit any person and the commission to file a complaint; establish procedures by which the commission may issue a complaint on its own motion; add the right to question witnesses to the rights afforded a person who is the subject of a preliminary inquiry; add the option of offering an alleged violator a conciliation agreement to the list of options the commission is permitted when, in a preliminary inquiry, it finds probable cause that a violation has occurred; create a new section of KRS Chapter 6, relating to the legislative ethics code, to establish procedures for a conciliation agreement; amend KRS 6.691 to establish a three-judge panel to conduct adjudicatory hearings; set forth procedures for selection of panel members; require reimbursement of expenses for members; require the commission to determine the time and location of the hearing and give thirty days' notice to the complainant and the alleged violator; authorize the panel as well as the commission to make referrals for prosecution; direct that final orders of the panel be directly appealable to the Court of Appeals under Section 111 of the Constitution of Kentucky and rules adopted by the Supreme Court; direct that, in the absence of a rule, orders be appealable to the Franklin Circuit Court; require any appealed action to be advanced on the docket of the court; add noncodified language requesting the Supreme Court to adopt rules allowing direct appeal of the panel's orders to the Court of Appeals.

     (Prefiled by the sponsor(s).)

     Jan 6-introduced in Senate; to State and Local Government (S)