Alabama elected officials will be heading back to the classroom for mandatory ethics training because of a bill passed by a House committee.
Legislators, mayors, city council members, lobbyists and county commissioners will be some of the officials required to attend the training classes.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill presented by Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, Jan. 20.
In addition to requiring training, the bill makes several technical changes to Alabama's ethics laws, said Jim Sumner, ethics commission director. The changes were requested by the commission to aide in investigations of ethics violations.
A similar bill was introduced to the House last year, but was killed. Unlike last year's bill, this year's bill includes city council members, mayors and county commissioners to the list of officials required to receive the training.
"I've taught 750 of these seminars," Sumner said. "We've been doing this for 25 years. This bill just makes things mandatory."
Auburn City Council member Shiela Eckman said she has attended ethics seminars in the past, but she believes she is the only member of the City Council who did so voluntarily.
"I think it is a grand idea," Eckman said. "The League of Municipalities also offers a course for newly elected officials, but since Auburn elects on an odd cycle, we do not participate in that. Therefore, new council members in Auburn typically have little or no training with regard to state ethics laws."
Sumner said the required seminars would be set up in a traditional classroom setting with handouts. The class will go through ethical training piece by piece, with 15 or 20 minutes left at the end for questions, Sumner said. The seminars will last approximately an hour and a half.
"I definitely think ethics training should be required for our officials," said Jessica Braswell, graduate student in business administration. "Alabama politics are known for being corrupt. I'm not sure that ethics can be taught, but the training classes can't hurt."
Sumner said he cannot be positive that the ethics training will be effective.
"It's not something that necessarily lends itself to measurement," Sumner said. "We assume it will stop a lot of unethical behavior.
Braswell also said she thought there was a need for the training.
"I think the training will offer a friendly reminder for our elected politicians, making them less likely to break ethical laws or boundaries," Braswell said.
Eckman said she thinks Alabama elected officials should have to take the ethics training classes.
"I believe recent events in local politics at the state-wide level make it obvious that some folks are either totally ignorant of ethical considerations or feel the rules don't apply to them," Eckman said.
There are two other bills pending on the House floor that would give the Alabama Ethics Commission subpoena power, if passed. This power would help the commission crack down on ethical violations.
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