The changes would allow the state to pay some legal bills of public officials.
They also would establish when a governor's family members can travel on state money. The proposed travel rules were developed as part of a settlement in an ethics complaint that accused Palin of abusing her power by charging the state when her children traveled with her.
The Alaska Personnel Board found no wrongdoing on Palin's part and its investigator, attorney Timothy Petumenos, said in his report that there is little guidance under state rules to determine ethical standards for travel by the governor's family. In the February settlement, Palin agreed to reimburse the state about $8,000 for costs associated with some trips found to be of questionable state interest.
As part of the settlement, Petumenos asked the state Department of Law to develop specific rules outlining when the state should pay for the travel of a governor's family.
One reason Palin - the former Republican vice presidential candidate - gave for resigning in July was what she called frivolous ethics complaints. Palin and administration staffers faced more than 20 ethics complaints, most of which were dismissed.
The attorney general has the power to make the changes without approval of the state Legislature, The Anchorage Daily News reported. Sullivan released them Monday for a public review that lasts through Jan. 22.
The changes would go into effect after the state Department of Law reviews public comments and makes any revisions, according to Sullivan's spokesman, Bill McAllister.
Under the proposed rules, state officials would be reimbursed for reasonable private attorney fees if they were exonerated in ethics complaints.
Palin reportedly incurred at least $500,000 in legal bills. Supporters set up a legal defense fund, but the fund is in limbo after an investigator hired by the state found probable cause that it violated the law.
It's unclear how much of Palin's legal debts would have qualified for reimbursement under the proposed rules.
The investigator looking into the defense fund, Anchorage attorney Tom Daniel, recommended that the state pay a governor's legal costs for defending against complaints that are dismissed.
"In the wake of that, Gov. (Sean) Parnell asked for a review," McAllister said.
Meanwhile, another ethics complaint has been filed against Palin by Anchorage resident Andree McLeod, a longtime critic of the former governor. The latest complaint - the seventh for McLeod against Palin or her aides - was filed Monday and targets the fact that the legal defense fund continues to solicit contributions.
Maybe y'all were willing to look the other way because it was "Sarah" spending our money. People flip out like the world is coming to an end when people from a village ask for some donations so their dogs don't starve, but- "Sarah" spends five figures worth of tax-payers money and it's somehow "ok", trivial, not a big deal, etc, etc.
Republicans, especially the sheep that worship Sarah Palin- are the biggest hypocrites alive.
That being said, almost every charge was meritless, and that brings us to the point that we are at now. It makes good sense to make the rules clear and unambiguous. Otherwise, the next Andree McCleod will cost the state a pile of money and be a continuous pain in the keister.