HR 2, the measure to amend the House ethics rules, has passed the House on a unanimous, 70-0 vote, after not only House Speaker Lawerence Denney and House Minority Leader John Rusche debated in favor of it, but so did Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, the subject of three ethics complaints this year. "I have a few things in this bill that I really like," Hart told the House. "One is that the phrase 'legislative duties' appears four times." He said, "The due process process is better spelled out. It was already there, but it was difficult to ferret out. I think there are some things that we were unclear about that are now made clear, so I'm going to support the bill."

The measure adds a clause covering ethics violations for "conduct unbecoming a member of the House;" clarifies that the target of a complaint can respond in writing; declares that only a member of the House - not just anyone - can submit an ethics complaint; and makes ethics complaints confidential, and requires them to be heard in closed sessions of the ethics committee, until the committee has found "probable cause" to look into the complaint.  

Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, asked Denney how a citizen might bring a concern about ethics concerning a House member. He responded, "There are two major avenues that people can voice those complaints: No. 1 is called an election and that happens every two years, and the other one is a recall, and that happenss immediately." He added, "Plus they can call my office. If there is something egregious, I'm going to take it to the minority leader, we will discuss it, and one of us will, if it merits response, we will bring it before an ethics committee."

The House vote is the final action on the rule change; it required a two-thirds vote to take effect.