The House Ethics Committee has set a Wednesday hearing to consider the case of Cicero Republican Eric Turner.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, asked the ethics panel to review Turner‘s conduct after reports that Turner argued vigorously in a closed-door caucus to kill a bill imposing a moratorium on new nursing homes.
Turner‘s son is a nursing home developer, and his daughter has lobbied for the industry.
Turner has issued a statement pointing out he abstained from all votes on the bill, and declaring he‘s "extremely confident" the committee will conclude he acted "well within" the House‘s ethics rules.
House rules instruct representatives to abstain if they have a direct financial interest in a bill. Bosma has asked the committee to review not only whether Turner did anything wrong, but whether the rules on what constitutes a conflict should be tightened.
Avon Republican Greg Steuerwald chairs the ethics panel, whose six members are evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.