BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday signed an ethics overhaul bill aimed at preventing a repeat of recent scandals involving Massachusetts lawmakers that have shaken public confidence in their government.
The bill toughens state ethics standards by banning lobbyists from giving gifts to state lawmakers, banning lawmakers from accepting gifts of "substantial value" and sharply increasing the penalty for bribery from three years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine to 10 years imprisonment and a $100,000 fine.
It also strengths the state's lobbying, ethics enforcement and campaign finance laws.
The bill was enacted after the Statehouse was rocked by the indictment of its third consecutive House Speaker, Salvatore DiMasi of Boston, the arrest of Sen. Dianne Wilkerson of Boston on bribery charges, as well as the arrest of another senator, James Marzilli of Arlington, on public lewdness charges.
"My hope is that with the passage of this ethics law, we will restore the public's confidence in government," DiMasi's successor, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, said during a Statehouse bill-signing ceremony.
With a crowd of lawmakers assembled on the Grand Staircase behind him, Patrick said he hoped the law "raises the level of expectations inside the building to what the public is entitled to expect from us."
Patrick had demanded passage of the ethics bill, as well as transportation and pension reform measures, before agreeing to a 25-percent sales tax increase in the state budget that took effect yesterday.
The governor had already signed the transportation and pension bills into law.
