North Dakota Constitution Article XIV - Ethics Commission
North Dakota Constitution – Article XIV: Ethics Commission – Summary
Article XIV of the North Dakota Constitution establishes an Ethics Commission and outlines its powers, duties, and authority. This article was added through a citizen-initiated measure approved by voters in 2018 (Measure 1).
Key Provisions of Article XIV:
1. Creation of the Ethics Commission
Establishes a North Dakota Ethics Commission as an independent entity.
The commission consists of five members, appointed by various elected officials from different branches of government to ensure balanced representation.
2. Powers and Duties
The Ethics Commission has the authority to:
Adopt rules related to transparency, lobbying, and ethical conduct of public officials and government employees.
Investigate alleged violations of ethics laws, lobbying regulations, and campaign finance laws.
Issue fines or other penalties for violations, within the bounds of the law.
Require disclosure of conflicts of interest, gifts, lobbying activity, and campaign contributions.
3. Jurisdiction
Applies to:
Elected officials
Government employees
Lobbyists
Others involved in state government decisions
4. Funding and Independence
Requires the Legislative Assembly to adequately fund the Ethics Commission.
Emphasizes the Commission's independence from political influence.
5. Public Access and Transparency
Promotes public access to Commission proceedings and records, with reasonable exceptions for investigations or privacy protections.
Rules and decisions by the Commission must be made publicly available.
Purpose
The inclusion of Article XIV reflects North Dakota voters' desire for:
Greater transparency in government,
Stronger ethics enforcement,
Independent oversight of lobbying and campaign practices.
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