Transparency was a word that we heard a lot when the Obama administration came to Washington six years ago.

History will be the judge on how well they were able to deliver on that promise to the American people.On the state level, Pennsylvania's new executive seems to be taking a more proactive approach for employees.After Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a gift ban on employees within the executive-branch, two agencies the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board followed his lead of not accepting gifts.Wolf applauded the PLCB's move which was voluntary since it has an independent administrative board and is not technically under the governor's jurisdiction. The governor said he hopes they will help restore public trust in state government.Both agencies have had their share of ethics issues.Last year, the state's Ethics Commission ordered three top former PLCB executives to make repayments after improperly accepting gifts from vendors.PLCB workers are already prohibited from taking gifts from alcohol vendors and contractors, but there were exceptions for items of nominal value from others.Now, the amended policy will prohibit them from accepting a gift of even a pen or T-shirt from those they regulate, such as hotels or bars.In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley has also taken stronger steps to instill public confidence in state government.Haley told her cabinet that state employees involved in purchasing should not "be wined and dined or accept any gifts whatsoever."The exception is when it is customary for company executives to bring gifts to meetings and it would be seen as offensive to return the gifts.Gov. Haley's crackdown includes social media.Starting in July, state workers will be banned from using social media on state equipment unless it is a part of the employee's job.The new code states that unless specifically required by the agency to perform a job function, the use of Facebook, Instagram or Twitter is forbidden while on duty or through the use of state resources or equipment.The code also addresses where state employees can work after they leave their state jobs.For example, a state employee who participated in the process of awarding a state contract as part of their official responsibilities, can't quit the state and then accept a job with a person or company that won that contract.Having state workers toe the line strengthens the ethics profile of state governments.The public can only hope for the same kind of accountability from its federal lawmakers and agencies.By JIM ZBICKtneditor@tnonline.com