Montana Code 2-2-135. Ethics committees
2-2-135. Ethics committees. (1) Each house of the legislature shall establish an ethics committee. Subject to 5-5-234, the committee must consist of two members of the majority party and two members of the minority party. The committees may meet jointly. Each committee shall educate members concerning the provisions of this part concerning legislators and may consider conflicts between public duty and private interest as provided in 2-2-112. The joint committee may consider matters affecting the entire legislature.
Terms Used In Montana Code 2-2-135
- Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
- Majority party: means the party with the most members in a house of the legislature, subject to subsection (2). See Montana Code 1-1-208
- Minority party: means the party with the second most members in a house of the legislature, subject to subsection (2). See Montana Code 1-1-208
- Private interest: means an interest held by an individual that is:
(a)an ownership interest in a business;
(b)a creditor interest in an insolvent business;
(c)an employment or prospective employment for which negotiations have begun;
(d)an ownership interest in real property;
(e)a loan or other debtor interest; or
(f)a directorship or officership in a business. See Montana Code 2-2-102
(2)Pursuant to Article V, section 10, of the Montana constitution, the legislature is responsible for enforcement of the provisions of this part concerning legislators.