HB 06272 Summary

• Establishes an independent Office of State Ethics to replace the State Ethics Commission, led by an executive director, general counsel, and ethics enforcement officer, with a nine-member Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board providing oversight.

• Restructures ethics definitions and regulations by renumbering and clarifying terms related to gifts, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and financial disclosures for public officials, state employees, and registrants.

• Expands the definition of quasi-public agencies to include Bradley Board of Directors, Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board, University of Connecticut Health Center Finance Corporation, and Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority.

• Modifies conflict of interest rules to permit elected state officials with direct monetary conflicts to vote and participate if they file a written statement with the Office of State Ethics explaining why they can act fairly and objectively.

• Requires persons who lobby within their employment to maintain records of time and expenditures for potential registration purposes and directs the Office of State Ethics to adopt regulations distinguishing between those specifically directed to lobby versus those who are not.