Lawmakers plan study of ethics

Divided on whether to push special session

By Richard Locker for The Commercial Appeal
June 29, 2005

NASHVILLE -- State legislative leaders began planning Tuesday for a broad study of governmental ethics reforms but are divided over whether Gov. Phil Bredesen should call a special session of the General Assembly to enact the reforms.

Four lawmakers of both parties wrote letters or publicly announced support in recent days for Bredesen's proposal for a rare special legislative session this fall to consider ethics.

All four said such a focused session is needed to address public concerns about ethics after the arrests of four Tennessee lawmakers May 26 in an FBI undercover bribery investigation.

"I'm here to tell you that a special session is needed and the purpose should be to create an independent ethics commission to oversee all branches of Tennessee government," Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said in a speech Saturday. "The citizens of Tennessee want change and expect us to develop a system of accountability."

In letters to the governor last week, Reps. Gary Moore and Mike Turner, both Nashville Democrats, urged him to call lawmakers into what would be their first special session since November 1999 when the legislature convened to consider tax reform. Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, wrote Bredesen Monday. McNally and Norris urged creation of an independent ethics commission to investigate and enforce ethics laws.

Bredesen has said repeatedly since the General Assembly adjourned May 28 that he thinks a special session on ethics reform in October or November would be a good idea because it would focus legislators' attention to that issue. But he also says he will call a session only if recommendations are ready to consider and there is bipartisan support for enacting them.

Toward that end, House and Senate leaders appointed a 12-member panel of lawmakers of both parties to examine what reforms are needed. Leaders met Tuesday and set the committee's first meeting for July 12.

Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis said he wants the panel to hold public hearings "so people can present their thoughts and ideas" to lawmakers.

While top House and Senate leaders are divided over whether ethics proposals should be debated in a special session this fall or when the legislature convenes its regular session next January, they do appear in consensus with Bredesen that a special session should be called only if there is bipartisan agreement on reforms and an expectation of passage.

Earlier Tuesday, House Republican Minority Leader Tre Hargett of Bartlett assembled his caucus leaders to discuss a long list of possible reforms.