Senate committee reports favorably on bill clarifying filing location for certain ethics disclosure forms

A Senate Elections Committee session advanced SB 964 on a unanimous committee report after sponsors and the ethics commission said the bill clarifies where certain disclosure forms must be filed.

Senator Wright, presenting the bill, said it revises requirements for reporting certain gifts and honoraria and removes a statutory requirement that Form 10 be filed with individual financial disclosures because the existing electronic filing system cannot accept or attach that form. "So Senate Bill 964 revises requirements for reporting of certain gifts and honoraria," the sponsor said, explaining the bill would instead have the specified forms filed with the ethics commission.

The chair then recognized Carrie Stillman, executive director of the ethics commission, who testified in support. Stillman said the bill "clarifies the filing location for the form, which used to be filed locally and with the commission," and that the commission will update the form and undertake rulemaking to implement the change.

There was no substantive debate on the floor of the committee. The clerk called the roll and recorded affirmative votes; the chair announced the bill was reported favorably to the Senate.

What the bill does and why it matters: SB 964 removes language requiring a paper form to be attached to electronic financial disclosures and directs the specified forms to be filed directly with the ethics commission, allowing the commission to update the form by rule. Supporters said the change is technical and intended to align statutory filing instructions with current electronic filing capabilities.

Vote and next steps: The committee reported SB 964 favorably and sent it on to the full Senate for further consideration. No amendments or separate votes were requested during the committee meeting.