The Opposition NDP says provincial politicians should be barred from making decisions that benefit their political friends.

NDP justice critic Kathleen Ganley will table a private member's bill Monday that would amend Alberta's Conflict of Interest Act to broaden the definition of a "private interest."

Ganley said Thursday her proposed rules would prevent politicians from making choices that give unfair advantages to relatives or political associates or unduly interfering with investigations.

Such rules could have prevented the United Conservative Party government from firing former election commissioner Lorne Gibson, Ganley said. Gibson had investigated and fined people involved in the 2017 UCP leadership campaign before the government terminated him in November.

"I honestly believe that what was done by Jason Kenney in the last session was an attack on the rule of law," Ganley told reporters on Thursday.

Bill 22 eliminated the office of the election commissioner, and moved the role into the office of Alberta's chief electoral officer.

More than three months after Gibson's firing, Chief Electoral Officer Glen Resler has yet to hire a new election commissioner, an Elections Alberta spokeswoman said Thursday.

Pamela Renwick said Resler is performing the role and hired two additional investigators in January to address a backlog of outstanding investigations. Resler has not yet decided when and if he will hire an election commissioner, she said.

'Kamikaze' probe led to $207,000 in fines

Gibson's investigation into the so-called "kamikaze" campaign of UCP leadership candidate Jeff Callaway has led to fines against 15 people totalling more than $207,000.

Ganley said concerns about potential government interference with Gibson's investigation prompted her to begin drafting the bill before the commissioner was fired.

The proposed changes in Bill 202, the Conflicts of Interest (Protecting the Rule of Law) Amendment Act, echo some recommendations made by ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler in 2017.

The ethics commissioner helps MLAs understand their obligations under the Conflict of Interest Act and can investigate MLAs accused of breaching the act.

Bill 202 proposes the definition of "private interests" be broadened beyond potential financial gain to include possible personal or political benefits.

The legislation would also give the commissioner access to privileged documents and would clarify when politicians should recuse themselves from making political decisions.

Jonah Mozeson, press secretary to Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer, said Thursday the government had only just seen the proposals.

"The government will of course review and study the bill as it goes through the normal private member's bill legislative process," he said in an email.