The Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill to repeal and replace the state ethics law, the law intended to prevent public officials from using their offices for personal gain.

Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, sponsor of the legislation, said the main purpose is to clarify what he called a confusing law that directly affects about 300,000 people, including state and local elected officials and public employees at the state, city, and county level, including teachers, police, firefighters, and others.

A second main purpose, Simpson said, is to provide more accountability for the Ethics Commission, a state agency headed by a five-member appointed board that investigations allegations of ethics law violations.

Simpson is chairman of the House Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee, which held public meetings beginning last year as it worked to develop the bill.

Attorney General Steve Marshall and Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton both opposed the bill and said it would weaken the law.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 79-9 with 15 abstentions. The vote came after about 50 minutes of discussion. No lawmakers spoke in opposition to the bill.

“This is important because it affects 300,000 Alabamians directly,” Simpson said. “This is not about the 140 people in this Legislature. This is about the teachers, the firefighters, the city workers, everyone that works at local, state and county government. These are the people that are affected on a daily basis. It’s also not just them, it’s their families as well.”

Simpson said report showed that 1.2 million people fall to some extend under the ethics law, including the family members of the 300,000 directly covered. He noted that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, the Alabama Supreme Court, and others have encouraged the Legislature to clarify the law.

“It’s only fair to people that if they’re going to be prosecuted under this case, you have to let them know where the lines are,” Simpson said. “If they cross those lines they should be prosecuted. And they will be prosecuted under this bill.”

Simpson noted that the bill, if it becomes law, would not take effect until June 1, 2025, which he said would provide time to identify and fix potential problems.

This story will be updated.