Assemblyman Sean Kean and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

KEAN AND HANDLIN CALL FOR AN ETHICS REFORM AGENDA
FOR STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE NOT SCHEDULED TO MEET MONDAY
DESPITE DOZENS OF PENDING ETHICS REFORM BILLSOctober 20, 2006

Assemblyman Sean Kean/732-974-0400
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin/908-902-3983

Assemblyman Sean Kean and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, members of the Assembly State Government Committee, today expressed disappointment that, with dozens of ethics reform bills awaiting action, the committee will not meet as scheduled this Monday.

"Our committee is charged with considering many of the ethics reform proposals that have been introduced by members of both parties," said Kean, R-Monmouth. "If the Assembly Democrats believe there is no reason for the committee to meet during its scheduled rotation, they are very wrong. Monday would be an excellent opportunity to begin considering the many ethics reform proposals that are pending."

The Assembly State Government Committee is part of the C and D group committees. All of those committees, except State Government, are scheduled to meet this Monday as part of a regular committee schedule.

"I can see no justification for not using this time to consider these ethics bills," said Handlin, R-Monmouth and Middlesex. "The Speaker has said that ethics reform will be a top priority sometime this year. Let's get the ball rolling by considering some of those reforms at a committee meeting now."

As part of its Blueprint for a Corrupt-Free New Jersey, Assembly Republicans have introduced more than 50 ethics reform bills dealing with issues ranging from campaign finance reform, to pension reform, to a ban on dual office holding and reforms of the legislative ethics committee.

Kean and Handlin said that not only should those Republican bills be considered, but so to should any ethics reform proposals that have been introduced by their Democrat colleagues.

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