A good chance to clean house

GOVERNOR PATRICK'S task force on public integrity did its part yesterday to identify and address weaknesses in the state's conflict-of-interest and lobbying laws. Now it falls to the Legislature to adopt the sound recommendations aimed at restoring the public's confidence in state government.

With just 60 days to complete the report, the 13-member task force didn't waste any time. The report bluntly notes that the state's civil and criminal penalties for violations of ethics and lobbying laws are weak and ineffective. The task force recommends sharp increases in the criminal penalty for bribery and in civil penalties for violations of the conflict-of-interest laws. The penalty for giving or receiving a bribe to influence an official act would rise to $100,000. It is now $5,000, the lowest in the nation. The task force also wisely recommends granting subpoena power to the secretary of state, who now lacks the clout needed to oversee disclosure requirements for lobbyists.

The task force managed to address an impressive array of issues ranging from enhancing the authority of the state Ethics Commission to closing loopholes now exploited by unregistered lobbyists.

But with the exception of a recommendation to improve searchable online databases of lobbying activities, every recommendation would require action by the Legislature. And state lawmakers are notoriously slow when it comes to cleaning up their own house.

Yesterday, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi seemed to downplay the report in a statement that promised to review the recommendations but only after citing the "serious challenges" legislators face to balance the budget and reform the state's transportation system. DiMasi, whose personal accountant was indicted recently on charges of violating lobbying and campaign finance laws, is in the middle of an ethics maelstrom kicked up by his friends and associates, who are suspected of collecting questionable fees from a software company seeking state contracts.

The Legislature should be capable of quickly addressing both budgetary matters and ethics reform in the new session, especially since Governor Patrick is providing them an already drafted, comprehensive public integrity bill contained in the report. One section would give state law enforcement officials the power to seek judicial approval to secretly monitor and record conversations during public corruption probes. Most states allow this sensible practice. Another needed change would strengthen the state's illegal gratuity law, which is now so narrowly interpreted by the courts as to be almost meaningless.

The task force is giving legislators a valuable gift - a chance at restoring public confidence. They should accept it.