Gov. Bill Ritter and Attorney General John Suthers expect an ethics panel to clear up confusion about Amendment 41 during the next few weeks and months, they said today in a letter to state employees.
The Independent Ethics Commission is likely to choose its fifth and final member within the next two weeks, the letter said.
“We, along with others, intend to request a number of advisory opinions that we believe will provide much needed clarity regarding what conduct is permitted and what conduct is prohibited,” their letter says.
The ethics amendment, passed by voters in 2006, was reinstated Monday by the Colorado Supreme Court after being put on hold by a Denver district court.
Amendment 41 prohibits lawmakers from taking anything from lobbyists and bans all public workers from taking anything worth more than $50 from anyone, except on special occasions.
Confusion has arisen about whether state, county and city workers can take scholarships for their children, inheritances or gifts from friends and family.
The Supreme Court did not clarify the ethics law, giving that task to the commission.
