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December 1967

January 1968

Calendar
From the President - Conference on the Con Con
Speakers Bureau
Now is the Time to Join the League
December Unit Preview - Charter Amendment / Local Program (Jane Hewitt)
Time for Action (Virginia Bogard)
Attention Discussion Leaders!!!
Rosalind Cole
Conference Committee (Betty Tobiasson)
For Your Information (Tosh Tasaka)
New Career Development
Head Start Health Services
Urban Coalition (Evelyn Oishi)
Thank You - From the Ethics in Government Committee (Barbara Furniss)
Riot in Honolulu!!! Three Dead - Scores Injured (Evelyn Oishi)
Analysis: Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention Conference
New Members
Notes from the State Board - Voter Registrars and Non-Partisanship (Marguerite Simson)

Thank You - From the Ethics in Government Committee

THANK YOU - From The Ethics in Government Committee - Barbara Furniss The units did a wonderful job in helping us reach consensus on what should be included in a state code of ethics. The resource leaders (members of the study committee) were much impressed with your understanding of the problems. Special thanks go to the discussion leaders who attended the briefing session, studied their outline, and carried us through a great deal of material. There have been many wonderful reports about their leadership. (Anne Davidson substituted at the last minute and managed to read her material while sitting in the dentist's chair:)

The study committee will now be able to turn its attention to the possibility of including an ethics provision in the draft for a new constitution. We will also be studying campaign practices. Watch for more on this!

Barbara Furniss

CONSENSUS STATEMENT ON ETHICS -- derived from the November, 1967, meetings of the six units of the League of Women Voters of Honolulu

Members of the League of Women Voters of Honolulu favor a Code of Ethics which covers all officials, elected and appointed, paid and unpaid. They believe that a Board of Ethics should administer this Code and should exercise flexibility in applying and interpreting the provisions of the Code.

Guidelines, rather than rigid prohibitions, are favored. These guidelines should set forth broad ethical principles which are designed to protect and inform the public servant as well as the public. They should not be so specific that they limit flexibility of interpretation by the Board, but they should include provisions which control the following:

  1. Gifts, loans, favors, services.

  2. Use or disclosure of confidential information.

  3. Outside compensation for official duty.

  4. Representing an adversary of the State.

  5. Contingent compensation.

  6. Fair and equal treatment.

  7. Representing private interests before state agencies.

  8. Appearance by former officials.

  9. Ex Parte communication.

  10. Future employment.

The Board of Ethics should be made up of citizens from the community who do not hold other public office and are selected in an impartial and non-political way. They should be empowered to interpret, advise, investigate, and initiate investigation when necessary.

Disclosures of financial interest should not be made public, but should be made to the Board of Ethics. The only sanction available to the Board is that of public disapproval if no appropriate action is taken within a reasonable length of time.

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