Montgomery, AL – The Alabama House has voted to shield the State Ethics Commission from political retaliation by guaranteeing it a minimum funding level.
The House voted 91-1 Tuesday for a bill by Republican Rep. Mike Jones of Andalusia that provides the Ethics Commission will get at least 0.10 percent of the state General Fund budget. The only way to override that would be a two-thirds vote of the entire Legislature.
Jones said his bill is needed because Alabama has a history of corruption that must be changed. Democratic Rep. Patricia Todd of Birmingham cast the lone nay vote.
The commission's current appropriation is $1.78 million. The bill would provide a minimum of $1.57 million. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)