Idaho lawmakers undergo ethics training

BOISE – Idaho lawmakers are starting the 2017 legislative session by participating in a half-day of ethics training.

Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill said Wednesday that he believes no lawmaker comes to the Statehouse with the intent to be unethical. However, Hill added that it’s always beneficial for lawmakers to be diligent in their pursuit to avoid behavior that damages the public’s confidence in government.

The Idaho Legislature has held such training events every two years since 2013.

Idaho lawmakers’ ethics have come under scrutiny over the past year after news broke that Rep. Ron Nate, a Republican from Rexburg, had secretly recorded a private conversation with Hill. Nate defended his actions by claiming that he’s seen too much lying inside the Statehouse.