A one sentence amendment to legislation that would require a public official or employee to disclose any and all unsatisfied default judgments of credit card debt, in excess of $1,000, on their financial statement had a hearing last week in the House Committee on State Government and Elections.

“It stops you from hiding your credit card debt on your financial statement,” said state Rep. Edward Cardillo who introduced the legislation.” That's all it does.”

Warwick Watchdog Rob Cote in February filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Frank Picozzi after discovering Picozzi had multiple default judgments against him and his wife including for credit cards that weren’t disclosed.

Currently the Ethics filling form reads “If you, your spouse or dependent child were indebted in an amount in excess of $1,000 to any person, business entity, financial institution or other organization, list the name and address of the lender or creditor.”

The three exceptions under the line include indebtedness to any person related to you, your spouse or dependent child, at any time, within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity. Indebtedness that is secured solely by a mortgage of record on real property that is used exclusively as your principal residence, if held by a financial institution regulated by any state or by the United States, or indebtedness to a credit card company.

Cote said that after speaking with the Ethics Commission it was determined that while the investigators interpreted the language that excludes credit cards, as meaning for revolving monthly credit card debts, Cote said he was recommended  to have a bill introduced that would clarify the language.

While Cote said the situation with Picozzi wasn’t the only reason he asked Cardillo to introduce the legislation he said that it “triggered it.”

Cote said he thinks it is important for the public to have a better understanding of elected officials, or candidates for office financial history because at some point they will have to make financial decisions on the behalf of taxpayers while in office.

“If you have a chaotic history of finances, for example not paying credit card bills, that should be listed in your disclosure,” said Cote.

Cote said that like having a default judgment from a company for services for example, he thinks that credit cards should be no different.

“Why should that be any different than a judgment from a business that I owe money to,” said Cote.

Warwick resident Cindy Wilson also testified. She said that when she gets anything from a store charge card to cable services  a credit check is run on her. Wilson thinks it should be no different for those in public service.

“I think we should go farther and do credit checks,” said Wilson.

Following the hearing Cardillo said that he thinks having credit checks done is, “Kinda  pushing it.”

Regardless, Wilson said she thinks the legislation will show if people running for office pay their bills or not.

“I really believe that the bill should be passed,” said Wilson.

John Marion the Executive Director of Common Cause said that Common Cause is supportive of the bill.