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PRESS ROOM
McCormick releases McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Education Plan
Commonsense plan increases transparency, bans lobbyist gifts, and creates a sexual harassment reporting mechanism
McCormick releases McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan
Commonsense plan increases transparency, bans lobbyist gifts, and creates a sexual harassment reporting mechanism
September 5, 2024
Contact: Kelly Wittman, (317) 450-5711
McCormick for Governor
NEW CASTLE, Ind.—Today, Indiana gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick released her commonsense plan to increase governmental transparency, lobbyist regulation, and elected official accountability to Indiana’s state and local governments.
“Hoosiers deserve a transparent, ethical government above reproach,” said McCormick. “Our commonsense plan addresses erosion in public access and transparency, better regulates special interests’ influence of government, locks the legislator to lobbyist revolving door in the Statehouse, and provides a reporting mechanism for sexual harassment.”
The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan will increase regulation of paid lobbying and prohibit lobbyists from gifting anything of value to a legislative person.
“It’s common sense that legislators shouldn’t be getting free suite tickets and steak dinners from lobbyists; that’s not advocacy, that’s entertainment,” said McCormick on prohibiting any gifts from lobbyists.
Additionally, the McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan increases governmental transparency, standardizes campaign finance and statement of economic interest reporting, tightens the prohibitions on the revolving door of lobbying, and provides a state mechanism to report sexual harassment experienced at the state or local level.
“It’s common sense to standardize our campaign finance reporting and statements of economic interests for candidates and office holders at the state and local level,” said McCormick regarding the campaign finance changes. “Combining Indiana’s ninety-three campaign finance reporting agencies into the bipartisan State Election Division makes sense.”
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Fact Sheet: McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan
The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan will increase transparency at the state and local levels, better regulate lobbying, reform campaign finance laws, and provide a reporting mechanism for sexual harassment.
The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Ethics Plan has six primary commonsense ways to provide more ethical and transparent government for Hoosiers (some require legislative action):
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Increased Transparency in State and Local Government: Restore the legal bias towards public disclosure. Government records are public records unless a compelling public benefit exists to limit their disclosure. Ensure the state legislature is bound by Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA) law. Include links to campaign finance and statements of economic interests on the Indiana Transparency Portal.
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Total Lobbyist Gift Ban: Ban lobbyists from giving anything of value to a legislative or executive official, including members of the Indiana General Assembly. “Not so much as a cup of coffee.” Lobbyists should be advocates, not entertainers. Attach criminal penalties to both lobbyists and legislative persons for gift ban violations by making gifts unlawful lobbying.
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Remove Lobbyists from Political Offices: Registered lobbyists will be precluded from holding a position on a political committee (current law prevents State Party Chairs from being registered lobbyists).
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Lock Revolving Door: Increase Indiana’s post-employment restriction on lobbying activity from one year after leaving public office to three years.
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Reform Campaign Finance Reporting: Candidates for public office in Indiana will file campaign finance reports with the state election division (currently, local candidates file with one of 92 county election boards) and standardize quarterly reporting in election and non-election years. Additionally, state and local candidates and elected officials will file the same statement of economic interest form with the state election commission.
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Sexual Harassment Reporting: The Inspector General will establish a confidential reporting mechanism for sexual harassment committed by state or local elected or appointed officials and lobbyists. After the office's investigation, the Inspector General will inform the state ethics committee of the findings. If criminal actions are warranted, refer the findings to the prosecutor of record. If the matter is noncriminal, the findings will be referred to the appropriate personnel department (state or local HR). If the harasser is an elected official, the ethics committee will publicize the findings.