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2005 General Session
HB 23 amended the Wyoming Ethics and Disclosure Act to include members of joint powers boards or special districts in the group of local officials whose behavior is regulated by the act.
Until now, the Ethics and Disclosure Act has applied to public employees, public members of state boards, commissions or councils, and public officials (individuals elected or appointed to state or local office). Local offices include county commissioner, treasurer, assessor, clerk, sheriff, coroner, district attorney, county attorney, mayor, town council member, and community college and school district board member.
HB 23 added members of joint powers boards and special districts to the above list of local offices.
The Ethics and Disclosure Act prohibits all of the above public officials from using their office or position for personal benefit or from engaging in nepotism. The Act clearly defines prohibited activities, and requires annual financial disclosure statements information from the five statewide elected officials and state legislators.
Proponents of HB 23 noted that this type of ethics regulation must be applied to all public officials, and that not including joint powers boards and special districts was simply an oversight in the original legislation.
There was very little opposition to the bill, as it passed the House unanimously and only two senators voted against it. The two who voted NO were Senator Gerald Geis (R-S20, Worland) and Senator John Schiffer (R-S22, Kaycee).