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Ethics Panel To Review Representative's Actions On Nursing Home Bill

Last updated on Friday, March 21, 2014

(STATEHOUSE) - The House Ethics Committee will review whether a Republican state representative violated House conflict-of-interest rules by arguing against a nursing home moratorium — and whether those rules should be revised.

Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) has asked the six-member ethics panel to review the actions of Cicero Republican Eric Turner in closed-door GOP caucuses. But the speaker has also asked the panel to review House rules which call on legislators to abstain from votes that could benefit them financially.

Turner did abstain -- but it's his son who has a financial interest, as a developer of eldercare facilities.

And the rule doesn't appear to address actions other than voting. Versions of the moratorium passed both the House and Senate, but a final bill never made it to the floor for a vote.

Avon Republican Greg Steuerwald chairs the six-member committee, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.

The full General Assembly won't reconvene until after the November election, but Steuerwald says he'll survey the other committee members to find a time to meet before then.

State Democratic Chairman John Zody had written Bosma last week urging an ethics hearing to clarify how House rules apply.

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