ATLANTA — After a stinging audit and a staffing overhaul, the state ethics commission looks to a new year that could bring even more significant changes. It’s been a tumultuous time at the commission, which has been mired in recent years by a number of lawsuits filed by former employees, personnel issues and allegations of outside influence with questions raised about its ability to ensure candidates, campaign committees, lobbyists and others are disclosing their financial activities as required by law. Meanwhile, the commission has had 216 open complaints that have been pending an average of three years and has failed to consider a single complaint for a year and a half amid an employee turnover rate of 46 percent in the last two years.