Albritton: Opinion didn’t weaken act

Published 2:10 am Saturday, September 26, 2015

Alabama Ethics Commission Director Tom Albritton said Friday that a recent opinion issued on the Ethic Act will be reconsidered, but did not weaken the Ethics Act.

Rep. Patricia Todd requested an Ethics Commission opinion about her job as the state director of an LGBT rights group.

Todd asked for the opinion after she had accepted the job, Albritton said, and stated in her request that she would not lobby state officials for the organization. She did not ask if accepting the job was a violation, but asked if she could vote on legislation affecting the LGBT community.

Albritton said the code does not allow commission to issue an advisory opinion on something a person has already done.

Albritton said that, given the discussion and apparent confusion caused by the opinion, the Ethics commission will revisit it at its October meeting.

Rep. Todd is the state’s only openly gay legislator.