Legislative Ethics

Anne Gray Herring, a policy analyst for Common Cause Georgia, said requiring eligible voters to go through this burden of proving their residency is not a trivial thing. “I do appreciate that the bill attempts to clarify what is probable because that was something that is needed through this new mass challenge landscape,” she said.

Donations such as those from Talitrix and others with ties to the company are a relatively common practice for those who seek to influence public officials, but it’s concerning, said Aunna Dennis, executive director of the Georgia chapter of Common Cause, a government and ethics watchdog group. The current limit for county politicians is $3,300 for primary and general elections. Donating through related entities and family members helps skirt Georgia’s limits on individual giving, Dennis said. “It may not be illegal in Georgia, but it’s inappropriate,” Dennis said.

Common Cause Florida and eight other advocacy groups are urging DeSantis to veto the bill, which they say would erect an “unreasonable barrier” and deter people from filing ethics complaints against politicians and public officials. For instance, complaints could not be filed based solely on investigative news articles. “This isn’t about minimizing frivolous complaints; this is about making complaints almost impossible,” Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida, said in a prepared statement. “The people of Florida deserve accountability and transparency and the right to demand it of officials.”

Jay Heck, the executive director Common Cause Wisconsin, the state’s branch of the national nonpartisan government watchdog group, added that the consequences could be dire if the right mix of circumstances were to emerge on or following Election Day. “It could all explode,” he said. The April 2 primary ballot in Wisconsin will ask voters to decide on two proposed constitutional amendments that critics contend are byproducts of conspiracy theories touted by election deniers. “[Passage of these amendments] is likely to leave election clerks all over the state of Wisconsin without the resources to run elections smoothly,” Heck said.

Rogers' instinct could be correct, according to Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of Common Cause Texas. “Cases like this can absolutely have a chilling effect, and you have to wonder if that’s part of the point,” Gutierrez said. “The state could very easily take proactive steps to ensure people who are starting probation or parole are clearly told how their legal status impacts their ability to vote.”

What aspect of “good government” does Hawaii do well, and where does it need the most improvement? Hawaii is truly a dynamic state. Areas of good governance that Hawaii does well include human rights as well as establishing safe avenues for citizen participation in democracy. However, this is simply not enough as we continue to struggle with participation in democracy, transparency and strategic vision. Perhaps the aspect of good governance that is most missing from our state would be strong and pragmatic anti-corruption safeguards and laws.