Norton Lovold

Bismarck

On March 12th the House and Senate Ethics Committees convened to hear both SB2148 and House Bill 1521 for the first time since crossover. There was strong testimony before the House Ethics Committee in favor of SB 2148, and not without good reason.

SB 2148 in its current form is following not only the letter, but also the spirit of Article XIV, the section of the constitution created by Measure 1. While much of the hearing was a productive discussion between members of both House and Senate Ethics Committees, certain members of the Committee disappointed me, and their constituents.

It was brought up multiple times by a few committee members that the citizens of North Dakota did not know what they were voting for. Well, in a way they’re right. It turns out they did not know that they elected representatives who choose not to represent their interests. I feel that there are some in the committee that are trying to make meaningful legislation but, I came away also feeling that there are some who are blatantly against Article XIV in its entirety. Unfortunately for them, the voters already agreed that they wanted to end corruption and create full transparency of corporate influence.

Article XIV is part of our Constitution, the highest law of the land. The Ethics Commission, lobbying regulation, and anti-corruption law are no longer negotiable. It is no longer a question of ‘if’ only ‘how best’. I hope that the detractors of Article XIV come to their senses and realize that their duty now is to create the most effective anti-corruption law that they possibly can. If they don’t, rest assured, we will remember it in 2020.