Committee says Turner didn't violate state ethics rules, but better disclosure needed

The bipartisan committee accepted its findings by consensus during a short meeting at the Indiana Statehouse. While the committee ruled Turner did not violate any House ethics or legislative rules the “highest spirit of transparency” was not achieved, according to the committee’s findings.

Turner, a Cicero Republican, spoke to a private meeting of House Republicans about a proposed construction ban of nursing homes during the final days of this year’s Indiana General Assembly. The Associated Press has reported that Turner, an investor in his son’s nursing home development company, lobbied the caucus against the construction ban and that he stood to lose millions of dollars if the ban had passed.

Lawmakers will now review the House’s conflict of interest rules and the way state lawmakers disclose financial interests before the 2015 legislative session.

“Rep. Turner did not violate any technical aspects of it, but I think as state representatives and elected officials we are expected to go beyond that,” said Rep. Clyde Kersey, who serves as the leading Democrat on the committee.

Rep. Gail Riecken, D-Evansville, said the spirit of the law is for legislators to avoid conflicts of interest as much as possible. Riecken, a member of the House Ethics Committee, said an issue she plans to present also deals with the issue of advocacy.

“It’s that relationship you have with all the other legislators,” Riecken said. “We ought to talk about whether that would be part of it. It’s not just sponsoring, authoring or voting, it’s advocating. We really have to talk about that.”

The committee’s chairman, Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, said the statement where lawmakers name their financial interests needs clarification, so lawmakers understand what is required and can make proper disclosures. Kersey said current law requires lawmakers to list primary companies where they have financial interests, but a possible change could require lawmakers to also list subsidiaries.

“I’m sure we will have a very good discussion and debate as to all aspects of this,” Steuerwald said after the meeting.