A new ethics reform bill is heading to the legislature, and one of the strongest supporters of past measures has concerns about the latest proposal. State Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) says a close reading of the bill has left him with concerns that it violates the constitution. "They put a provision in there thay anyone who's on this board may not ever run for a public office, when they leave, for at least a year," said Ellis, something that Ellis calls "patently unconstitutional."
Ellis says his objections don't stop there. "They added language that if this bill is deemed to be unconstitutional, the existing ethics and elections board are still dismissed. So in effect, there would be no entity in Madison to regulate any elections." The bill also would not give the new Government Accountability Board prosecuting power, and Ellis says it would take away some of the Attorney General's power to prosecute lawmakers.
(audio Rick Schuh, WHBY )