Signed by Governor Phil Bredesen

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that creates the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance and defines its responsibilities.

Highlights:

-Creates the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, comprising two divisions: the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance and the Tennessee Ethics Commission (Sec. 1). -Provides that employees of the Bureau and their immediate families shall not be allowed to hold public office, be an officer of any political party or committee, participate in an election campaign, lobby or employ a lobbyist, or be employed by any elected officeholder, and that employees of the Bureau shall not be allowed to donate to electoral campaigns (Sec. 1). -Describes the responsibilities of the Bureau as making known and enforcing rules and regulations relating to elections, including provisions concerning disclosure statements and conflicts of interest; collecting filing fees; and standardizing and administering electoral documents so as to make them simple and understandable (Secs. 1, 25). -States that sections 1 through 25 of the bill shall take effect July 1, 2009, and all other sections shall take effect upon the bill becoming law (Sec. 30).

Full Bill Text