Day two of the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly Session included an annual exercise for all state lawmakers. They underwent mandatory ethics training. The requirement started 30 years ago following the federal Boptrot bribery investigation. This was the FBI sting operation resulting in the conviction of more than a dozen legislators between 1992 and 1995.
1993 legislation made it so lawmakers couldn’t accept anything of value, including a cup of coffee from lobbyists. Legislative Ethics Commission Director Laura Hendrix said there are exceptions for events.
“In other words, if there’s a reception to which designated folks are allowed to attend like caucuses and things like that, then they are able to do that. But, they must also report that, the lobbying entities have to report that back to us,” said Hendrix.
Hendrix said the writing of the legislative and executive ethics codes three decades ago came as a way to prevent the quote, “one on one wheeling and dealing that happened.” In addition to two hours of ethics training for all lawmakers, new legislators undergo another two-hour session prior to taking office.
Hendrix noted a lobbyist is defined as someone paid to lobby.
“So that only applies to again people who are getting paid to do that. It wouldn’t apply to say you as a citizen come in and you want to speak directly to your legislator and you’re not being paid for that. It would not cover those folks.”
Hendrix said Kentucky’s legislative ethics code is stricter than many other states. She added lawmakers are encouraged to always ask the staff at the legislative ethics commission office before acting if there are any questions.
