(1) Public Officials Disclosure (Appointed: NRS 281.559; Campaigning and Elected, 281.561) :
Rationale:
By national standards, Nevada=s current disclosure provisions lack detail and are not reported in a manner enabling timely review. On Oct. 7, 2006, the RJ reported that ANevada gets an F grade on disclosure statements@ from the Center for Public Integrity, which compared us to the other 49 states. We need full disclosure of relevant details so as to enable Nevada=s citizens to judge whether or to what extent an official=s commitment in a private capacity does or does not jeopardize independence of judgment.
BDR:
Require monthly reports of gifts (at NRS 281.481) and of financial disclosure (at NRS 281.559 & .561). In addition, the level of financial disclosure by public officials should include, but not be limited to, the items listed below:
Job title w/the entity not now required
employer description, A
value range or income amt, A
officer/director information, A
officer/dir. Not sufficiently narrowly defined
officer/dir. Entity name not now required
officer/dir. Entity description A
spouse officer/director info. A
Investment entity description A
investment entity investment value, A
Client information, A
client name A
client value/range, A
spouse client information, A
real property value/range, A
spouse real property information, needs greater detail, specifics
spouse and dependents over 18, not now required
state auditing authority over these forms, A
state routinely reviews forms for accuracy, ADD THIS REQUIREMENT
state publishes list of delinquent filers, ADD THIS REQUIREMENT
leadership positions in other organizations ADD THIS REQUIREMENT
(1a). Penalties:
Rationale: Currently penalties are weak and are often waived, so that disclosure is too often treated as an optional or minor part of one=s responsibilities. But in the larger culture of lobbyists and so-called >contributions=, when disclosure itself is not yet an established practice, the penalties need to be adequate to change everyone=s perception to the view that this responsibility is to be taken seriously, records are to be kept and reporting is to be timely and made public. Penalties must be known and enforced for violating limits or deadlines of disclosure laws.
BDR : Regarding gifts (at NRS 281.481) and financial disclosure (at NRS 281.559 & .561), first violation $1000; doubling for second and doubling again for third violations, to be enforced by Secretary of State.
