HB 556 — An Act amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in ethics standards and financial disclosure, prohibiting certain transportation, lodging, hospitality, cash and gifts and further providing for statement of financial interests.

PRINTER'S NO.   557

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 556
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, HANBIDGE, VENKAT, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS,
        FIEDLER, STEELE AND SHUSTERMAN, FEBRUARY 11, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 11, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in ethics standards and financial
 3      disclosure, prohibiting certain transportation, lodging,
 4      hospitality, cash and gifts and further providing for
 5      statement of financial interests.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.      Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 9   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
10   § 1103.1.      Transportation, lodging, hospitality, cash and gifts.
11      (a)   General rule.--A public official or public employee or
12   the spouse of a public official or public employee may not
13   solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any transportation,
14   lodging, hospitality, cash, gift or anything of economic value
15   as a gift from a person who:
16            (1)    Has or is seeking a contractual, business or
17      financial relationship with the public official's or public
18      employee's governmental body, including the acquisition of a
19      grant or loan.
 1            (2)   Is compensated to influence the passage or defeat of
 2      legislation by the public official's or public employee's
 3      governmental body.
 4            (3)   Conducts operations or activities which are
 5      regulated by the public official's or public employee's
 6      governmental body.
 7            (4)   Has an economic interest which may be substantially
 8      affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public
 9      official's or public employee's official job duties.
10      (b)   Exceptions.--The prohibition stated in subsection (a)
11   shall not apply to the following:
12            (1)   Gifts from a relative or friend, unless the relative
13      or friend is in a restricted relationship as delineated in
14      subsection (a). For the purposes of this paragraph, the term
15      "friend" shall not include a registered lobbyist or
16      principal.
17            (2)   A contribution as defined in section 1621(b) of the
18      act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
19      Pennsylvania Election Code, lawfully made under that act.
20            (3)   Informational materials that are sent to the office
21      of the public official in the form of books, articles,
22      periodicals, other written materials, audiotapes, videotapes
23      or other forms of communication for nonentertainment
24      purposes.
25            (4)   Awards or prizes that are given to competitors in
26      contests or events open to the public, including random
27      drawings.
28            (5)   Honorary academic degrees and academic awards from
29      not-for-profit educational institutions in this Commonwealth
30      and associated travel, food, refreshments and entertainment

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 1    provided in the presentation of the academic degrees and
 2    academic awards. Associated travel, food, refreshments and
 3    entertainment provided in the presentation of academic
 4    degrees and academic awards shall be reported in accordance
 5    with section 1105(b) (relating to statement of financial
 6    interests).
 7        (6)   Training provided to a public official or public
 8    employee, if the training is in the interest of the
 9    governmental entity. This paragraph shall include food and
10    refreshments furnished to all attendees as an integral part
11    of the training. Training provided under this paragraph and
12    food and refreshments furnished to attendees as an integral
13    part of the training shall be reported in accordance with
14    section 1105(b). The exception under this paragraph shall not
15    apply in any of the following circumstances:
16              (i)    The organization sponsoring the training is
17        funded or sponsored, directly or indirectly, by a
18        registered lobbyist or principal.
19              (ii)    The public official or public employee or the
20        spouse of the public official or public employee is
21        prohibited from soliciting or accepting transportation,
22        lodging, hospitality, cash, a gift or anything of
23        economic value as a gift from the organization sponsoring
24        the training.
25        (7)   An educational mission, including a meeting with
26    government officials, either foreign or domestic, intended to
27    educate public officials on matters of public policy, to
28    which the public official may be invited to participate along
29    with other Federal, State or local public officials and
30    community leaders. Transportation, lodging, hospitality,

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 1    cash, a gift or anything of economic value received as a gift
 2    as part of an educational mission shall be reported in
 3    accordance with section 1105(b). The exception under this
 4    paragraph shall not apply in any of the following
 5    circumstances:
 6               (i)    The organization sponsoring the educational
 7        mission is funded or sponsored, directly or indirectly,
 8        by a registered lobbyist or principal.
 9               (ii)    The public official or public employee or the
10        spouse of the public official or public employee is
11        prohibited from soliciting or accepting transportation,
12        lodging, hospitality, cash, a gift or anything of
13        economic value as a gift from the organization sponsoring
14        the educational mission.
15        (8)    Anything paid for by the Federal Government, State
16    government or other government or governmental entity under a
17    government contract.
18        (9)    A plaque, trophy or other item that is substantially
19    commemorative in nature and has minimal value.
20        (10)    Light food or refreshments, such as hors d'oeuvres,
21    provided in a group setting and intended for mass consumption
22    and not intended for the consumption of a specific employee.
23    Light food or refreshments as specified under this paragraph
24    shall be reported in accordance with section 1105(b). The
25    exception under this paragraph shall not apply in any of the
26    following circumstances:
27               (i)    The organization providing the light food or
28        refreshments is funded or sponsored, directly or
29        indirectly, by a registered lobbyist or principal.
30               (ii)    The public official or public employee or the

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 1             spouse of the public official or public employee is
 2             prohibited from soliciting or accepting transportation,
 3             lodging, hospitality, cash, a gift or anything of
 4             economic value as a gift from the organization providing
 5             the light food or refreshments.
 6             (11)    Items of nominal economic value such as greeting
 7      cards, pens, caps or shirts or refreshments provided within
 8      the context of a meeting such as complimentary water, coffee,
 9      tea or similar refreshments.
10      Section 2.      Section 1105(b)(6) and (7) of Title 65 are
11   amended to read:
12   § 1105.    Statement of financial interests.
13      * * *
14      (b)    Required information.--The statement shall include the
15   following information for the prior calendar year with regard to
16   the person required to file the statement:
17             * * *
18             (6)    The name and address of the source and the amount of
19      any gift or gifts valued in the aggregate at [$250] $50 per
20      year or more from the same source and the circumstances of
21      each gift. This paragraph shall not apply to a gift or gifts
22      received from a spouse, parent, parent by marriage, sibling,
23      child, grandchild[,] or other family member or friend when
24      the circumstances make it clear that the motivation for the
25      action was a personal or family relationship. However, for
26      the purposes of this paragraph, the term "friend" shall not
27      include a registered lobbyist or an employee of a registered
28      lobbyist.
29             (7)    The name and address of the source and the amount of
30      any payment for or reimbursement of actual expenses for

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 1    transportation and lodging or hospitality, a cash payment, a
 2    gift or anything of economic value as a gift received in
 3    connection with public office or employment where such actual
 4    expenses for transportation and lodging or hospitality exceed
 5    [$650] $0 in an aggregate amount per year. The payment for or
 6    reimbursement of actual expenses shall be identified by the
 7    type of expenses. This paragraph shall not apply to expenses
 8    reimbursed by a governmental body or to expenses reimbursed
 9    by an organization or association of public officials or
10    employees of political subdivisions which the public official
11    or employee serves in an official capacity.
12        * * *
13    Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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