BILL ANALYSIS

HB 1170

TITLE OF THE BILL: Making elected municipal officers subject to the same ethics standards as state officers with regard to gifts.

WHAT THIS BILL DOES: Holds local elected officials to the same ethics standards with regard to receiving gifts as state officials and employees.

SPONSORS:  Representatives Campbell, Bush, and Scott

HEARING DATE: Monday, February 1, 1999

FISCAL NOTE: None Requested

ANALYSIS PREPARED BY: Scott MacColl, 786-7106

BACKGROUND:

Local government officials are prohibited from accepting gifts for a matter connected with or related to the official=s services.  However, there is no restriction on gifts that are unrelated to the official=s services, monetary or otherwise.

Different ethics standards apply to state officials and employees regarding gifts.  State officials and employees may not receive any gift in excess of $50 from one source or a single gift from multiple sources in any calendar year.  Specific exceptions to this rule are provided in statute, including:

!Unsolicited flowers;

!Unsolicited advertising material or promotional items of nominal value;

!Unsolicited tokens or awards of appreciation;

!Unsolicited informational material, publications or subscriptions related to official duties;

!Unsolicited food and beverages consumed at hosted receptions where attendance is related to official duties; admission to, and the cost of food and beverages consumed at a charitable, governmental or community organization; and

!Unsolicited gifts from dignitaries of a personal nature.

Gifts in the form of food and beverage that exceed $50 dollars on any one occasion must be reported as provided in chapter 42.17 RCW, the public disclosure laws.

SUMMARY:

A new section is added to the municipal code of ethics (chapter 42.23 RCW) to subject local officials in elected positions to the same requirements as state officials and employees regarding gifts.

Local appointed officials not in elected offices are not subject to these requirements.