Ethics plan takes a twist

Decisions on gifts would rest with 'reasonable person'

By David Ingram
Winston-Salem Journal

RALEIGH

A "reasonable person" could soon be the one who determines which meals, concert tickets and other gifts lobbyists can give to state legislators.

Under compromise ethics legislation announced yesterday, legislators would be allowed to accept unlimited gifts without having to disclose them as long as a "reasonable person" wouldn't connect the gifts to lobbying.

Legislators and lobbyists would be able to decide for themselves whether a particular gift meets the standard. And ethics officials would investigate only if they get a complaint.

Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange, the House majority leader, said that the standard is the result of negotiations between the House and Senate, which have voted for different versions of the legislation in the past two months.