Smith Statement
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Representative Sam Smith Republican Leader Pennsylvania House of Representatives
NEWS RELEASE Date: November 12, 2009
Contact: Stephen Miskin (717) 705-1852 E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: www.samsmithpahouse.com
Statement by House Republican Leader Sam Smith HARRISBURG – House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) issued the following statement regarding the House Republican Caucus’ agenda following last week’s grand jury presentment: “We need to earn back the people’s trust and confidence. “For that, House Republicans have an agenda. The Pennsylvania Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, or PATH, includes a number of proposals aimed at putting all of state government on the right path. “Our plan would help stop corruption, address various ethics issues, and bring accountability and better accessibility to state and local government. “Today, the House considered its first PATH proposal. It is aimed at increasing public accessibility by creating a searchable database for all state spending – called PennGAP. Still more must be considered. “Republicans believe audits of legislative spending should be conducted through independent auditors, chosen through an RFP process. The goal of these proposals, and the rest of the PATH bills, is to instill confidence and rebuild the public trust. It’s needed and it’s needed now. (A full list of PATH proposals is attached.) “Obviously, whenever allegations of public trust violations are made, there are calls for change. Republicans agree. Our constituents expect to be heard and respected – not just in regards to taxes or programs, but in how government operates and responds. “This investigation and its subsequent charges represent a turning point in how things are done in Harrisburg. Clearly more needs to happen. We understand that, we get it.” “We created a ‘Caucus Ethics Officer” within the Legal Department to address questions raised by staffers – no one should feel uncomfortable about doing his or her job. Our caucus has banned contracting with service providers who are working for the House Republican Campaign
Committee, and vice-versa – without exception. HRCC now has a fully campaign-dedicated staff, thus eliminating the need for caucus employees to shuttle back and forth between payrolls and jobs. Data will not be transferred between organizations. Caucus information will only be used for state business – period. ###
The specific proposals included in Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg (PATH) are: 1. No staff allowed. Staff cannot campaign for the organization for which they work during scheduled work-day hours. Using government-owned equipment would remain illegal, day or night. 2. No Start-ups. Public officials cannot start nonprofit organizations while in office. 3. Dollar 1 Reporting of campaign contributions, and Real Time Reporting for lobby disclosure and ethics statements; no limits or bans, just reporting within two weeks. The Department of State would create and maintain the cross-relational database making the information easily accessible and understandable to Pennsylvania residents. 4. State Grant Accountability. Fully enforce strict procedures for pre- and post-grant audits and strengthen parameters for public dollar usage. The state will create, maintain and update a database of grants – including recipients, purpose and status reports. 5. Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending – called PennGAP. 6. General Assembly audits by independent auditors chosen through an RFP with the lowest responsible bidder getting the work. The audits would be available for public review. 7. Strengthening whistleblower protections for all state employees in all three branches of government. A fully independent Office of Inspector General (taking the place of the current Inspector General’s office) will be available to the public and employees of all branches and levels of government. 8. End Pay-to-Play mentality in Pennsylvania by enacting state contracting reform: a. Emergency Contract Review – A newly created Board of Emergency Review (consisting of the Governor, Treasurer and Attorney General) must unanimously concur an emergency exists for the contract (a phone call can be utilized in case
b. c. d.
e.
of an Emergency Declaration). Prior to entering into an emergency contract, the agency must provide a written explanation of reasons warranting an emergency contract and the specific services to be contracted for and the anticipated cost of the contract; the statement shall be delivered to the four Caucuses, the treasurer, auditor general, attorney general and governor. Public review of contracts. Proposed contracts must be available for public inspection for at least 10 days prior to agreement being executed (except for Board of Emergency Review contracts). All Commonwealth agencies shall adhere to the state Procurement Code. Ban government contracts from campaign contributors. No government contract can be awarded to a person, partnership or corporation that donated to the campaign of the state official responsible for awarding the contract within one year of the date a contract is posted for public bidding. No lobby firms allowed. Firms registered as “lobbying firms” are disqualified from receiving General Assembly or governor’s office consulting contracts (does not include legal services contracts).
9. End lobbying relationships. No public official shall receive compensation from a firm registered as a “Lobbying Firm.” 10. Create an Ethical Code of Conduct for executive branch (already exists for legislative branch) employees in state government. Any new executive branch employee would be prohibited from working in an area in which they lobbied the executive branch before working for the state for two years prior to state employment. This would also restrict executive branch employees leaving state employment from lobbying that same branch of government for two years. This is similar to the policy recently imposed by President Barack Obama on federal executive branch employees. 11. Strengthen the state Sunshine Law and increase penalties for sunshine law violations. 12. Contractors subject to Ethics Act and Legislative Code of Ethics. State contractors cannot use information that is not available to the public at large which was obtained under their state contract for their private financial gain. ###
NEWS RELEASE Date: November 12, 2009
Contact: Stephen Miskin (717) 705-1852 E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: www.samsmithpahouse.com
Statement by House Republican Leader Sam Smith HARRISBURG – House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) issued the following statement regarding the House Republican Caucus’ agenda following last week’s grand jury presentment: “We need to earn back the people’s trust and confidence. “For that, House Republicans have an agenda. The Pennsylvania Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, or PATH, includes a number of proposals aimed at putting all of state government on the right path. “Our plan would help stop corruption, address various ethics issues, and bring accountability and better accessibility to state and local government. “Today, the House considered its first PATH proposal. It is aimed at increasing public accessibility by creating a searchable database for all state spending – called PennGAP. Still more must be considered. “Republicans believe audits of legislative spending should be conducted through independent auditors, chosen through an RFP process. The goal of these proposals, and the rest of the PATH bills, is to instill confidence and rebuild the public trust. It’s needed and it’s needed now. (A full list of PATH proposals is attached.) “Obviously, whenever allegations of public trust violations are made, there are calls for change. Republicans agree. Our constituents expect to be heard and respected – not just in regards to taxes or programs, but in how government operates and responds. “This investigation and its subsequent charges represent a turning point in how things are done in Harrisburg. Clearly more needs to happen. We understand that, we get it.” “We created a ‘Caucus Ethics Officer” within the Legal Department to address questions raised by staffers – no one should feel uncomfortable about doing his or her job. Our caucus has banned contracting with service providers who are working for the House Republican Campaign
Committee, and vice-versa – without exception. HRCC now has a fully campaign-dedicated staff, thus eliminating the need for caucus employees to shuttle back and forth between payrolls and jobs. Data will not be transferred between organizations. Caucus information will only be used for state business – period. ###
The specific proposals included in Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg (PATH) are: 1. No staff allowed. Staff cannot campaign for the organization for which they work during scheduled work-day hours. Using government-owned equipment would remain illegal, day or night. 2. No Start-ups. Public officials cannot start nonprofit organizations while in office. 3. Dollar 1 Reporting of campaign contributions, and Real Time Reporting for lobby disclosure and ethics statements; no limits or bans, just reporting within two weeks. The Department of State would create and maintain the cross-relational database making the information easily accessible and understandable to Pennsylvania residents. 4. State Grant Accountability. Fully enforce strict procedures for pre- and post-grant audits and strengthen parameters for public dollar usage. The state will create, maintain and update a database of grants – including recipients, purpose and status reports. 5. Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending – called PennGAP. 6. General Assembly audits by independent auditors chosen through an RFP with the lowest responsible bidder getting the work. The audits would be available for public review. 7. Strengthening whistleblower protections for all state employees in all three branches of government. A fully independent Office of Inspector General (taking the place of the current Inspector General’s office) will be available to the public and employees of all branches and levels of government. 8. End Pay-to-Play mentality in Pennsylvania by enacting state contracting reform: a. Emergency Contract Review – A newly created Board of Emergency Review (consisting of the Governor, Treasurer and Attorney General) must unanimously concur an emergency exists for the contract (a phone call can be utilized in case
b. c. d.
e.
of an Emergency Declaration). Prior to entering into an emergency contract, the agency must provide a written explanation of reasons warranting an emergency contract and the specific services to be contracted for and the anticipated cost of the contract; the statement shall be delivered to the four Caucuses, the treasurer, auditor general, attorney general and governor. Public review of contracts. Proposed contracts must be available for public inspection for at least 10 days prior to agreement being executed (except for Board of Emergency Review contracts). All Commonwealth agencies shall adhere to the state Procurement Code. Ban government contracts from campaign contributors. No government contract can be awarded to a person, partnership or corporation that donated to the campaign of the state official responsible for awarding the contract within one year of the date a contract is posted for public bidding. No lobby firms allowed. Firms registered as “lobbying firms” are disqualified from receiving General Assembly or governor’s office consulting contracts (does not include legal services contracts).
9. End lobbying relationships. No public official shall receive compensation from a firm registered as a “Lobbying Firm.” 10. Create an Ethical Code of Conduct for executive branch (already exists for legislative branch) employees in state government. Any new executive branch employee would be prohibited from working in an area in which they lobbied the executive branch before working for the state for two years prior to state employment. This would also restrict executive branch employees leaving state employment from lobbying that same branch of government for two years. This is similar to the policy recently imposed by President Barack Obama on federal executive branch employees. 11. Strengthen the state Sunshine Law and increase penalties for sunshine law violations. 12. Contractors subject to Ethics Act and Legislative Code of Ethics. State contractors cannot use information that is not available to the public at large which was obtained under their state contract for their private financial gain. ###
