The North Dakota Ethics Commission is concerned that changes approved by lawmakers could allow ethical violations by public officials to go unaddressed. The legislation would require the commission to dismiss ethics complaints older than 180 days, which could impact 28 complaints, 17 of which are against state lawmakers. The changes were made in response to frustrations with the pace of complaint processing, which some lawmakers believe is unfair to those accused of violations. Commissioners argue that the deadline could hinder meaningful investigations and waste resources. They also question whether the bill conflicts with the state’s constitution. The commission’s main priority for the conference committee is to urge lawmakers to add funding for a new staff member dedicated to education and communications back into the budget and to remove policy provisions. The bill is set to go to a conference committee for final changes before potentially becoming law. The commission believes that the arbitrary deadline imposed by the legislation is not a tool for North Dakota citizens and could ultimately impede their responsibilities in addressing ethical concerns.
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