Editorial: An F for disclosure

Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 | 4:18 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

September 25 - 26, 2004

A Washington-based public interest group has given Nevada -- and 23 other states -- an F for the paucity of information found in the financial disclosure forms that state legislators must fill out. For example, although a Nevada state legislator has to list his business interests, he doesn't have to offer many details. As Sun reporter Molly Ball noted Friday, the forms don't require a legislator to tell whether he's a 5-percent shareholder or a company owner, nor do the forms require a legislator to say what his job title is. And while household members' sources of incomes must be listed, the Center for Public Integrity points out that this requirement is deficient since the forms don't require the disclosure of the family members' names. Also, the forms don't get audited to make sure that they're accurate -- let alone filled out.

State Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, and Assemblywoman Chris Guinchigliani, D-Las Vegas, plan to introduce legislation next year that would toughen these requirements and mandate more disclosure. We're sure there will be resistance by other legislators, just as there has been in the past, but we believe the public should know fully what potential sources of conflicts exist. Better disclosure requirements, resulting in more openness, are essential if the Legislature is serious about maintaining the public's trust.