In Your State - Arizona
WASHINGTON, December 13, 2001 — The Center interviewed ethics agency officials, scoured ethics agency Web sites and combed through pages of state statutes to conduct this survey of state ethics agencies. Below is a snapshot of answers for this state. See how this state ethics agency compares on staff and budget, oversight and enforcement power, among other topics surveyed. Find out what other type of ethics oversight this state has. Go to the methodology for an explanation of how the survey was conducted and what exact questions were asked.
Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey
Arizona is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 8 of those states where any outside oversight for members of the legislature is lumped in with the responsibilities of the secretary of state or attorney general.
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What, if any, ethics agency exists in the state?
None.
If the above agency does not oversee legislators, is legislative oversight
defined in statute?
Yes. Arizona has the House Ethics Committee and the Senate Ethics Committee,
which is enabled by Arizona Revised Statute 38-519. Each committee consists of
five members, not more than three on each can be from the same political party.
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/38/00519.htm
Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?
Yes. Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 38, Chapter 3, Article 8, "Conflict of
Interest of Officers and Employees" and Article 8.1, "Standards of
Conduct for Members of the State Legislature" apply to legislators.
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/38/title38.htm
When were the ethics statutes enacted?
1968
Where do legislators file outside interest disclosures?
Arizona Secretary of State, Election Services Division. See Info Resources
http://www.sosaz.com/election/
Where do legislators file campaign finance disclosures?
Arizona Secretary of State, Election Services Division
http://www.sosaz.com/election/
Where are lobbying disclosures filed?
Arizona Secretary of State, Election Services Division
http://www.sosaz.com/election/
Note: Some information provided by the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws' "Ethics Update" 2000. For more information or to purchase the reference, visit www.cogel.org.