Final Round of Hearings on Ethics Reforms Begun

The Los Angeles City Council’s ethics committee opened its final round of hearings Thursday on a new package of ethics reforms that were triggered by the controversy over Mayor Tom Bradley’s financial affairs.

But it was clear that the committee has a long way to go in shaping, adopting and implementing a new ethics code.

Committee members Michael Woo, Ruth Galanter and Gloria Molina were openly at odds over proposals to ban outside employment and restrictions on city officials returning to the private sector. Some proposals--such as the creation of a city ethics office--would require a ballot measure to change the city Charter. And other proposals, such as granting the city attorney access to the grand jury to subpoena witnesses and take testimony under oath, would require a new law by the state Legislature.