Guinn’s ethics-reform plan due to be introduced in Legislature

Monday, March 15, 1999 | 11:10 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn will unveil his plan to change Nevada's ethics laws this week.

Guinn's legal adviser, Scott Scherer, a former member of the state Ethics Commission, has been working with Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, and others in developing the legislation. The bill was expected to be ready for introduction today or Tuesday, Jack Finn, Guinn's press secretary, said.

O'Connell is chairwoman of the Senate Government Affairs Committee, which would hear testimony on the legislation.

In his State of the State message in January, Guinn proposed that all public officers be required to sign the code of ethics, to acknowledge they have read it, understand it and adhere to it. He said certain offenses would become felonies and conviction would result in automatic removal from office.

Once a complaint is filed against a public official, Guinn wants the case to be handled by the Ethics Commission within 60 days. And he wants to allow the commission to impose increased fines of up to $25,000 for "grievous offenses," which would be paid from the personal assets of the official -- not from campaign contributions. The present limit is $10,000.

Guinn has yet to name a replacement for Ethics Commission Chairwoman Mary Boetsch, whose term expires in June. Boetsch has said she does not want to serve another term.