Post by Logan on Mar 7, 2016 23:12:49 GMT -6
RICHMOND — The General Assembly appears poised to roll back a short-lived ethics measure barring the governor from accepting most political donations from businesses seeking money from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund.
The restrictions, part of last year’s ethics reform legislation, caused some consternation among economic development officials who said it put an unprecedented burden on companies and weakened the protections for confidential state negotiations.
“The moment you can’t ensure confidentiality is the moment they walk away,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.
The new language proposed this year aims to simplify the process while observing the spirit of the ethics law by seeking greater public disclosure after deals are closed, said Jones, whose office requested the changes.
Read more: www.roanoke.com/news/politics/revision-to-ethics-reform-cruising-through-general-assembly/article_9944e279-4b04-5569-bf11-02605c63b707.html
The restrictions, part of last year’s ethics reform legislation, caused some consternation among economic development officials who said it put an unprecedented burden on companies and weakened the protections for confidential state negotiations.
“The moment you can’t ensure confidentiality is the moment they walk away,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.
The new language proposed this year aims to simplify the process while observing the spirit of the ethics law by seeking greater public disclosure after deals are closed, said Jones, whose office requested the changes.
Read more: www.roanoke.com/news/politics/revision-to-ethics-reform-cruising-through-general-assembly/article_9944e279-4b04-5569-bf11-02605c63b707.html