WUSA9: Va. state senators propose no gifts more than $100 for officials FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA9) -- Two Virginia state senators have written a bill that would eliminate gifts of more than $100 for officials or employees of state government agencies. According to the spokesperson for Sen. Chap Petersen of Fairfax, Sen. Peterson and Sen. Richard Stuart of Stafford have penned the first gift-ban ethics reform bill for upcoming General Assembly session. There is a culture of gift giving in Richmond, and it is time to change that culture. These reforms will require legislators to reduce this practice and will restore confidence in Virginia government, said Sen. Stuart in a statement released on Monday. Under their bill, all tangible gifts of more than $100 in value would be banned. It would also prohibit any gifts intended to induce an official action and gift limit and prohibitions would apply to all immediate family members. Additionally, the bill would require review of any intangible gifts, including compensated travel or event ticket, by the Virginia Conflicts of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council. Our bill will put teeth into the Virginia Conflicts of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council, and will effectively ban all tangible gifts exceeding $100 in value. It is long past time for Virginia to take effective steps to reform the current gift excess in the Virginia and prove to the public that Virginia elected officials are taking concrete steps towards ethics reform, according to Sen. Petersen in a statement released on Monday. Officials, employees or candidates for office who knowingly violated the statute would be fined $250 for the first offense. Violators would face a Class 1 misdemeanor charge for additional offenses within four years time. wusa9/story/news/2014/11/24/virginia-senators-chap-peterson-richard-stuart-no-gifts-for-officials-bill/19490089/
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:40:13 +0000
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