The House reached a compromise on legislation today that would clarify Colorado’s new ethics amendment and ask the public to re-vote on the issue in 2008.
House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and House Minority Leader Mike May were at odds on the bill until it was amended this morning to give voters the final say on any changes to Amendment 41.
The legislation, House Bill 1304, would clarify that the ethics law does not prohibit scholarships for the children of government employees or university professors from receiving cash prizes. It won initial approval in the House on a voice vote.
Senate leadership, though, has been opposed to any “tinkering” of the constitutional amendment, which was passed by voters in November.
The House bill has a companion resolution to ask the Colorado Supreme Court whether the legislature has the authority to clarify the amendment.
If the court agrees, voters could weigh in on the amendment’s new language in 2008.
Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald and Senate President Peter Groff, said this morning that they were not aware of the House compromise. To pass the Senate, any compromise would need the support of at least six Democrats.
Fitz-Gerald has said she thinks the best way to clarify the intent of Amendment 41 is through an oversight commission, which lawmakers are tasked with establishing this session.
Amendment 41 prohibits lawmakers from taking anything from lobbyists and bans government workers and their families from receiving gifts worth more than $50, except on special occasions.
Supporters and opponents alike agree the language is overly broad and could be interpreted to ban things like scholarships.
Fitz-Gerald has said the commission — not lawmakers — can best determine which situations go against Amendment 41’s main provision against “violating public trust through private gain.”
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
