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Alaska Statutes.

Title 24. Legislature

Chapter 60. Standards of Conduct

Section 170. Proceedings Before the Committee; Limitations.

AS 24.60.170. Proceedings Before the Committee; Limitations.

(a) The committee shall consider a complaint alleging a violation of this chapter if the alleged violation occurred within two years before the date that the complaint is filed with the committee and, when the subject of the complaint is a former member of the legislature, the complaint is filed within one year after the subject's departure from the legislature. The committee may not consider a complaint filed against all members of the legislature, against all members of one house of the legislature, or against a person employed by the legislative branch of government after the person has terminated legislative service. However, the committee may reinstitute proceedings concerning a complaint that was closed because a former employee terminated legislative service or because a legislator left the legislature if the former employee or legislator resumes legislative service, whether as an employee or a legislator, within two years after the alleged violation. The time limitations of this subsection do not bar proceedings against a person who intentionally prevents discovery of a violation of this chapter.

(b) A complaint may be initiated by any person. The complaint must be in writing and signed under oath by the person making the complaint and must contain a statement that the complainant has reason to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred and describe any facts known to the complainant to support that belief. The committee shall upon request provide a form for a complaint to a person wishing to file a complaint. Upon receiving a complaint, the committee shall advise the complainant that the committee or the subject of the complaint may ask the complainant to testify at any stage of the proceeding as to the complainant's belief that the subject of the complaint has violated this chapter. The committee shall respond to a complaint concerning the conduct of a candidate for election to state office received during the campaign period in accordance with (o) of this section. The committee shall treat a complaint concerning the conduct of a candidate for election to state office that is pending at the beginning of a campaign period in accordance with (p) of this section. The committee shall immediately provide a copy of the complaint to the person who is the subject of the complaint.

(c) When the committee receives a complaint under (a) of this section, it may assign the complaint to a staff person. The staff person shall conduct a preliminary examination of the complaint and advise the committee whether the allegations of the complaint, if true, constitute a violation of this chapter and whether there is credible information to indicate that a further investigation and proceeding is warranted. The staff recommendation shall be based on the information and evidence contained in the complaint as supplemented by the complainant and by the subject of the complaint, if requested to do so by the staff member. The committee shall consider the recommendation of the staff member, if any, and shall determine whether the allegations of the complaint, if true, constitute a violation of this chapter. If the committee determines that the allegations, if proven, would not give rise to a violation, that the complaint is frivolous on its face, that there is insufficient credible information that can be uncovered to warrant further investigation by the committee, or that the committee's lack of jurisdiction is apparent on the face of the complaint, the committee shall dismiss the complaint and shall notify the complainant and the subject of the complaint of the dismissal. The committee may ask the complainant to provide clarification or additional information before it makes a decision under this subsection and may request information concerning the matter from the subject of the complaint. Neither the complainant nor the subject of a complaint is obligated to provide the information. A proceeding conducted under this subsection, documents that are part of a proceeding, and a dismissal under this subsection are confidential as provided in (l) of this section unless the subject of the complaint waives confidentiality as provided in that subsection.

(d) If the committee determines that some or all of the allegations of a complaint, if proven, would constitute a violation of this chapter, or if the committee has initiated a complaint, the committee shall investigate the complaint, on a confidential basis. Before beginning an investigation of a complaint, the committee shall adopt a resolution defining the scope of the investigation. A copy of this resolution shall be provided to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint. As part of its investigation, the committee shall afford the subject of the complaint an opportunity to explain the conduct alleged to be a violation of this chapter.

(e) If during the investigation under (d) of this section, the committee discovers facts that justify an expansion of the investigation and the possibility of additional charges beyond those contained in the complaint, the resolution described in (d) of this section shall be amended accordingly and a copy of the amended resolution shall be provided to the subject of the complaint.

(f) If the committee determines after investigation that there is not probable cause to believe that the subject of the complaint has violated this chapter, the committee shall dismiss the complaint. The committee may also dismiss portions of a complaint if it finds no probable cause to believe that the subject of the complaint has violated this chapter as alleged in those portions. The committee shall issue a decision explaining its dismissal. Committee deliberations and vote on the dismissal order and decision are not open to the public or to the subject of the complaint. A copy of the dismissal order and decision shall be sent to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint. Notwithstanding (l) of this section, a dismissal order and decision is open to inspection and copying by the public.

(g) If the committee investigation determines that a probable violation of this chapter exists that may be corrected by action of the subject of the complaint and that does not warrant sanctions other than correction, the committee may issue an opinion recommending corrective action. This opinion shall be provided to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint, and is open to inspection by the public. Within 20 days after receiving the opinion, the subject of the complaint may request a confidential meeting with the committee at which meeting the committee shall explain the reasons for its recommendations. The committee may divulge confidential information to the subject of the complaint. The information remains confidential. The subject of the complaint may comply with the opinion or may request a hearing before the committee under (j) of this section. After the hearing, the committee may amend or affirm the opinion. If the subject of the complaint agrees to comply with the opinion but later fails to complete the corrective action in a timely manner, the committee may formally charge the person as provided in (h) of this section or may refer the matter to the appropriate house of the legislature, in the case of a legislator, or, in the case of a legislative employee, to the employee's appointing authority. The appropriate house of the legislature or the appointing authority, as appropriate, may take action to enforce the corrective action or may decline to take action and refer the matter to the committee. In either case, the committee may formally charge the person under (h) of this section.

(h) If the subject of a complaint fails to comply with an opinion and the committee decides under (g) of this section to charge the person, or if the committee determines after investigation that there is probable cause to believe that the subject of the complaint has committed a violation of this chapter that may require sanctions instead of or in addition to corrective action, the committee shall formally charge the person. The charge shall be served on the person charged, in a manner consistent with the service of summons under the rules of civil procedure, and a copy of the charge shall be sent to the complainant. The person charged may file a responsive pleading to the committee admitting or denying some or all of the allegations of the charge.

(i) A person charged under (h) of this section may engage in discovery in a manner consistent with the Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure. The committee may adopt procedures that

(1) impose reasonable restrictions on the time for this discovery and on the materials that may be discovered;

(2) permit a person who is the subject of a complaint to engage in discovery at an earlier stage of the proceedings;

(3) impose reasonable restrictions on the release of information that the subject of a complaint acquires from the committee in the course of discovery, or on information obtained by use of the committee's authority, in order to protect the privacy of persons not under investigation to whom the information pertains; however, the committee may not impose restrictions on the release of information by the subject of the complaint unless the complainant has agreed to be bound by similar restrictions and has not made public the information contained in the complaint, information about the complaint, or the fact of filing the complaint.

(j) If the committee has issued a formal charge under (h) of this section, and if the person charged has not admitted the allegations of the charge, the committee shall schedule a hearing on the charge. The committee may appoint an individual to present the case against the person charged if that individual does not provide other legal advice to the committee except in the course of presenting cases under this subsection. The hearing shall be scheduled for a date more than 20 and less than 90 days after service of the charge on the person charged, unless the committee schedules a later hearing date. If the complainant prevents the hearing from starting before the 90-day deadline passes and a quorum of the committee determines by vote of a majority of committee members the delay is not supported by a compelling reason or will result in the person charged being deprived of a fair hearing, the committee may dismiss the complaint with prejudice or enter some other order the committee determines is appropriate. At the hearing, the person charged shall have the right to appear personally before the committee, to subpoena witnesses and require the production of books or papers relating to the proceedings, to be represented by counsel, and to cross-examine witnesses. A witness shall testify under oath. The committee is not bound by the rules of evidence, but the committee's findings must be based upon clear and convincing evidence. Testimony taken at the hearing shall be recorded, and evidence shall be maintained.

(k) Following the hearing, the committee shall issue a decision stating whether or not the subject of the complaint violated this chapter, and explaining the reasons for the determination. The committee's decision may also indicate whether the subject cooperated with the committee in its proceedings. If the committee finds a violation, or lack of cooperation by the subject, the decision shall recommend what sanctions, if any, the committee believes are appropriate. If there has not been a hearing because the person charged admitted to the allegations of the charge, the committee shall issue a decision outlining the facts of the violation and containing a sanctions recommendation.

(l) Proceedings of the committee relating to complaints before it are confidential until the committee determines that there is probable cause to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred. Except to the extent that the confidentiality provisions are waived by the subject of the complaint, the person filing a complaint shall keep confidential the fact that the person has filed a complaint under this section as well as the contents of the complaint filed. The complaint and all documents produced or disclosed as a result of the committee investigation are confidential and not subject to inspection by the public. If in the course of an investigation or probable cause determination the committee finds evidence of probable criminal activity, the committee shall transmit a statement and factual findings limited to that activity to the appropriate law enforcement agency. If the committee finds evidence of a probable violation of AS 15.13, the committee shall transmit a statement to that effect and factual findings limited to the probable violation to the Alaska Public Offices Commission. All meetings of the committee before the determination of probable cause are closed to the public and to legislators who are not members of the committee. However, the committee may permit the subject of the complaint to attend a meeting other than the deliberations on probable cause. The confidentiality provisions of this subsection may be waived by the subject of the complaint. Except to the extent that the confidentiality provisions are waived by the subject of the complaint, if the committee finds that a complainant has violated any confidentiality provision, the committee shall immediately dismiss the complaint. Dismissal of a complaint under this subsection does not affect the right of the committee or any person other than the complainant to initiate a complaint based on the same factual allegations.

(m) All documents issued by the committee after a determination of probable cause to believe that the subject of a complaint has violated this chapter, including an opinion recommending corrective action under (g) of this section and a formal charge under (h) of this section, are subject to public inspection. Hearings of the committee under (j) of this section are open to the public, and documents presented at a hearing, and motions filed in connection with the hearing, are subject to inspection by the public. Deliberations of the committee following a hearing, deliberations on motions filed by the subject of a charge under (h) of this section, and deliberations concerning appropriate sanctions are confidential.

(n) The committee shall dismiss a complaint against a person employed by the legislative branch of government if the person terminates legislative service. The committee may in its discretion dismiss a complaint against a former member of the legislature whether the complaint was filed before or after the former member departed from the legislature.

(o) The committee shall return a complaint concerning the conduct of a candidate for state office received during a campaign period to the complainant unless the subject of the complaint permits the committee to assume jurisdiction under this subsection. If the committee receives a complaint concerning the conduct of a candidate during the campaign period, the committee shall immediately notify the subject of the complaint of the receipt of the complaint, of the suspension of the committee's jurisdiction during the campaign period, and of the candidate's right to waive the suspension of jurisdiction under this subsection. The candidate may, within 11 days after the committee mails or otherwise sends notice of the complaint to the candidate, notify the committee that the candidate chooses to have the committee proceed with the complaint under this section. If the candidate does not act within that time or if the candidate notifies the committee that the candidate is not waiving the suspension of committee jurisdiction, the committee shall return the complaint to the complainant with notice of the suspension of jurisdiction under this subsection and of the right of the complainant to file the complaint after the end of the campaign period.

(p) When the committee has a complaint concerning the conduct of a candidate for state office pending before it at the beginning of a campaign period that has not resulted in the issuance of formal charges under (h) of this section, the committee may proceed with its consideration of the complaint only to the extent that the committee's actions are confidential under this section. The committee may not, during a campaign period, issue a dismissal order or decision under (f) of this section, issue an opinion under (g) of this section, or formally charge a person under (h) of this section. If the committee has formally charged a person under (h) of this section and the charge is still pending when a campaign period begins, the committee shall suspend any public hearings on the matter until after the campaign period ends. The parties to the hearing may continue with discovery during the campaign period. If a hearing has been completed before the beginning of a campaign period but the committee has not yet issued its decision, the committee may not issue the decision until after the end of the campaign period. Notwithstanding the suspension of public proceedings provided for in this subsection, a candidate who is the subject of a complaint may notify the committee in writing that the candidate chooses to have the committee proceed with the complaint under this section.

(q) A campaign period under this section begins on the later of 45 days before a primary election in which the legislator or legislative employee is a candidate for state office or the day on which the individual files as a candidate for state office and ends at the close of election day for the general or special election in which the individual is a candidate or on the day that the candidate withdraws from the election, if earlier. For a candidate who loses in the primary election, the campaign period ends on the day that results of the primary election showing that another individual won the election are certified.

(r) At any point in the proceedings when the subject of a complaint appears before the committee, the subject of a complaint may choose to be accompanied by legal counsel or another person who may also present arguments before the committee. The choice of counsel or another person is not subject to review and approval or disapproval by the committee. The choice by the subject of a complaint to be accompanied under this subsection does not constitute a waiver of any confidentiality provision in this chapter.