House Resolution No. 1 Summary

• Repeals existing Rule 76 and establishes a new House Ethics Committee with five members: three from the majority party and two from the minority party, elected by party caucuses before the twelfth day of each legislative session.

• Committee members must have served at least one full term, cannot hold leadership positions (except Committee Chairmen), and cannot have been previously sanctioned for ethics violations.

• Grants the Committee power to investigate ethics complaints, issue subpoenas, retain counsel and investigators, take testimony under oath, and maintain confidential records of all proceedings.

• Establishes complaint procedures requiring written, sworn allegations describing violations of state law, House rules, or legislative policy that occurred within three years of filing; deficient complaints may be returned for correction.

• Requires investigations to conclude within 30 days (extendable to 60 days by majority vote), culminating in Committee recommendations of dismissal, written reprimand, censure, or expulsion; House votes on recommendations by majority vote (dismissal/reprimand/censure) or two-thirds vote (expulsion).