HB1474 Summary

• Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act to add a new section establishing specific rights for complainants who file complaints with an Inspector General against state officers or employees.

• Complainants must receive notification of their rights and explanation of processes within 48 hours for sexual harassment/discrimination complaints or within 30 days for other complaints.

• Complainants have the right to have an attorney or support person present at interviews and meetings, submit a victim impact statement, testify at hearings, and receive copies of the Inspector General's summary of their statements and evidence.

• Complainants must receive the Inspector General's findings within 7 days of the Ethics Commission receiving them, and the Ethics Commission's final decision within 7 days of the decision.

• Adds "Complainant," "Inspector General," definition to the ethics act's definitions section and makes the act effective immediately upon passage.