HB 2327 Summary

• Establishes six factors for determining whether a gift violates ethics law: official action taken by recipient, benefit to state versus recipient, business relationship between parties, relationship to official functions, benefits to donor, and all other circumstances.

• Requires the ethics commission to rely on and follow the analysis of its prior published decisions, advisory opinions, and informal advisory opinions when evaluating conduct, if the factual situation is reasonably analogous.

• Allows persons found in probable violation by informal advisory opinion to request reconsideration within thirty days, with the commission conducting a confidential informal hearing to receive new information and arguments.

• Protects legislators and employees who act in reasonable reliance on prior ethics commission decisions or opinions, whether published or unpublished, from being found in violation if the facts are reasonably analogous.

• Permits the ethics commission to amend or depublish previously published decisions, advisory opinions, and informal advisory opinions at its discretion.