North Dakota’s New Ethics Panel is Figuring Out Its Scope and Rules

The panel oversees the conduct of legislators, state officials, political candidates and lobbyists.

BISMARCK, N.D.–North Dakota’s new Ethics Commission is working out how far its authority extends and determining the rules that will guide its actions and decision-making.

The panel oversees the conduct of legislators, state officials, political candidates and lobbyists. Chairman Ron Goodman says the commission will not investigate every ethics violation in the state.

Goodman told the board Sept. 13 that he has been questioned about whether the commission can investigate lawmakers’ use of social media and even oil spills.

That’s unlikely, but one of the board’s first tasks is to write guidelines to govern how it acts. Assistant Attorney General Allyson Hicks says the board has “broad constitutional authority” over its rule-making.

The governor and legislative leaders appointed the Ethics Commission’s five board members in August.