By Bob Katzen

The House and Senate approved and sent to the governor a bill that would create a 13-member Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government including the attorney general, the chief legal counsels to the governor, House and Senate, each branch’s chair of the Committee on Ethics and the Committees on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight and three other people with expertise on issues relating to ethics, public integrity or campaign finance. 
  The task force would study existing laws and regulations that govern the conduct of state, county and municipal elected officials and appointed public employees. It would also review the Conflict of Interest Law, the Financial Disclosure Law and the State Ethics Commission. The task force would issue its findings and any recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by March 15, 2017.
   Supporters said the Legislature recently had several incidents in which ethics have been called into question. They argued it is time to review and perhaps make necessary changes to these laws and regulations.