House Republicans: Protecting jobs and parents top agenda in 2020
From The News Journal
The 150th General Assembly returns to work Jan. 14, and Republicans in the House of Representatives want to advance measures proposed earlier this year aimed at improving state government and protecting parents and small businesses.
House Bill 137 would improve disclosure to voters by requiring that all candidates running in the general election disclose if they have unpaid state or federal personal income taxes or are in arrears on their local property taxes.
The consideration of new or higher taxes is one of the most significant duties an elected official performs. We believe voters should know if candidates seeking offices with taxing authority have met their own tax-related obligations.
Another bill proposed by House Republicans seeks to help prevent elected officials from “double-dipping” salary from two taxpayer-funded jobs.
Under present law, the Public Integrity Commission (PIC) has no authority to have the State Auditor review the salary records of elected officials that may be getting paid simultaneously for two government jobs. This proposal would require elected officials, as well as paid governmental appointees who are also employed by a government agency or public school, to disclose such employment to the PIC.
We have also proposed three bills that would put an end to our state’s embarrassing tradition of passing complicated or controversial legislation in the wee hours of the morning on the last day of the session — often without required public notification and input.