Issue Position: Integrity Agenda
Issue Position
* A Comprehensive Gift Ban for Public Officials
* Establish an Independent "Casey Commission" on Integrity
* Empower and Strengthen the State Ethics Committee
* Increase Criminal Penalties for Public Corruption
WHAT WE MUST DEMAND IN ORDER TO PUT PENNSYLVANIA BACK ON TRACK
A Comprehensive Gift Ban
Under current law any gift to lawmakers or the executive branch under $250 does not have to be reported. Josh Shapiro will work to pass a real gift ban for all government officials.
A Strengthened State Ethics Commission
Strengthen the Ethics Commission by giving it full, dedicated, and independent funding so it has the resources to effectively root out unethical behavior by public officials.
Increased Criminal Penalties for Public Corruption
Public officials who break the law need to be held accountable. Pennsylvania's criminal penalties for corruption-related offenses are weaker than many other states and must be strengthened.
More Transparency with Your Tax Dollars and Donations
Require instant, online campaign finance reporting so that voters know who's backing a particular candidate. Increase transparency at all levels of government, including how state officials spend tax dollars for their expenses.
IMMEDIATE CHANGES WE CAN MAKE ON DAY ONE
Reform the Office of Attorney General
* Ban gifts in the Office of Attorney General.
* Make all office expenses available online to increase government transparency.
* Create a new Ethics Code for every employee of the Attorney General's office.
* Establish a new Chief Diversity Officer and implement a professional human resources standard to ensure we have a government that reflects the people that it serves.
* Mandate rigorous ethics training for every employee, and make it accessible to all state and local government officials, including local enforcement.
* Establish the "Casey Commission" on Integrity to create a thorough "Code of Conduct" for public officials and regularly propose updates to state ethics laws.
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