SB 89 Summary

• Allows legislators and legislative employees to accept compassionate gifts and clarifies gift acceptance rules for charity events, including tickets and contributions to approved charitable organizations.

• Permits legislators and legislative employees representing persons in administrative hearings to contact hearing officers and attempt to influence outcomes if they are state-licensed professionals, or in certain limited circumstances if unlicensed.

• Requires the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics to maintain certain ethics disclosures as public records and prohibits public committee members from disclosing confidential information without authorization.

• Extends ethics law requirements to legislative interns and volunteers, establishes an alternate public member position on the ethics committee, and creates procedures for alternate member participation in committee proceedings.

• Amends disclosure deadlines for certain gifts (extending charity event gift disclosures to 60 days) and allows persons to request exemptions from disclosure requirements when mandated by state or federal law, constitutional provisions, or professional rules.