L.A. County voters will have the chance to decide in November if the county Board of Supervisors will expand from five to nine members through a change to the county charter.
Included in that measure is the creation of an ethics commission, though one could be created even sooner through a motion co-authored by 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley, and 3rd District Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
The board is set on Tuesday to look at what it would take to create such a commission and direct county counsel to report back in 30 days on that plan.
“Ethics reform is not just about compliance with rules and laws, but about instilling a culture of integrity and responsibility within government to the benefit of the constituents it serves,” the motion reads. “It sets the tone for how organizations govern and how elected and appointed leaders behave, ensuring a more ethical future, based on established principles and a deep-rooted sense of integrity.”
The motion would also have an item placed on the board’s Sept. 10 agenda that would double the amount of time people would have to wait to lobby the county after previously working for it. That time period is currently one year.
“This motion is about moving forward with ethics reform now,” Barger said in a prepared statement. “There’s been a lot of focus on reforming the Board of Supervisors’ governance approach, with ethics being a key driver. I welcome all opportunities to increase local government’s transparency. Here’s an opportunity for our board to walk the talk by committing ourselves further to a culture of integrity and responsibility.”
As the motion is currently written, an Office of Ethics Compliance and the position of ethics compliance officer would both be created along with the ethics commission. Should it be approved, the board would expect to receive a report that goes over membership, subject-matter expertise, subject areas of review and funding for the implementation of the plan.
The commission would have five members consisting of neutral authorities — the motion referenced the presiding judge of the L.A. County Superior Court and current members of academia as such authorities — that would have oversight over ethical conduct by county officials and would ensure the county is in compliance with all laws.
“The Board of Supervisors has the opportunity to adopt critical ethics reform that will enable the county to maintain a high level of ethical standards and address new challenges as they emerge,” the motion reads. “The board can do this expeditiously without waiting for an upcoming election, serving as a model for other institutions in taking decisive action and moving forward without additional layers of bureaucracy.”
Tuesday’s meeting is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. in room 381B at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, located at 500 W. Temple St. in downtown Los Angeles.
To watch Tuesday’s meeting online, visit tinyurl.com/ybem4esf.
Other matters
Also on the agenda are two items related to recent extreme heat across the county. One would have a report done on the health risks associated with “climate-exacerbated extreme heat” and what can be done to protect vulnerable communities, while the other looks at multiple agencies collaborating to better protect children from the heat while at schools or camps.
There is also a motion co-authored by Barger and 2nd District Supervisor Holly Mitchell that would seek to improve the transparency of fiscal impacts related to countywide measures on ballots. Should the motion be approved, a fiscal impact statement would be included for all countywide ballot measures.
On the agenda but expected to be continued to the board’s July 30 meeting is an item concerning the county’s strategy for addressing homeless encampments. The item comes after last month’s Supreme Court ruling that upheld a local ordinance in the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, banning public camping, an ordinance that challengers said violates the Eighth Amendment’s guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment.
“I want to be clear: the criminalization of people experiencing homelessness is wrong,” Barger said in a prepared statement following the Supreme Court ruling. “But, having another tool to make measurable and effective change is critical. Our county and its cities must work collaboratively and in sync with one another so that we can successfully end homelessness. Homelessness is not a problem that can simply be shuffled around.”
The item is co-authored by Horvath and 1st District Supervisor Hilda Solis. The latter requested that the item be continued.
