December 3, 2019 -- Two proposals seeking to make candidates and lawmakers more responsible for their actions have a long and unfortunate history of being killed in the General Assembly. In this video, Delaware State Representative Ruth Briggs King discusses the measures for which she is advocating.
The first bill (currently pending action in the House Administration Committee as House Bill 137) would require 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.
This is the fourth consecutive General Assembly where a version of this bill has been introduced.
The second bill seeks to help prevent elected officials from “double-dipping” salary from two taxpayer-funded jobs.
Currently pending action as House Bill 126, the legislation would require elected officials or paid state, county, or local appointees – who are also employed by a government agency or school – to disclose such employment to the Public Integrity Commission (PIC).
The disclosure would assist the commission and the State Auditor to evaluate if the official was receiving dual compensation for overlapping hours of work. Under present law, the Public Integrity Commission has no authority to have the State Auditor review the salary records of elected officials that may be getting paid simultaneously for two taxpayer-funded jobs.
This bill has been introduced and killed in each of the last two General Assembly sessions.
Both bills have been blocked by majority House Democrats who have refused to let either be debated on the House floor.
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