HB 744 — An Act amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in ethics standards and financial disclosure, further providing for definitions and for restricted activities, providing for gift ban and for gift ban exceptions and further providing for statement of financial interests.

PRINTER'S NO.   770

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 744
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, RIGBY, VENKAT, HILL-EVANS, M. MACKENZIE,
        HADDOCK, HANBIDGE, MADSEN, SAPPEY, D. WILLIAMS, BONNER,
        FIEDLER, STEELE, SHUSTERMAN, GREEN, FINK, GILLEN AND O'MARA,
        MARCH 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 3, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in ethics standards and financial
 3      disclosure, further providing for definitions and for
 4      restricted activities, providing for gift ban and for gift
 5      ban exceptions and further providing for statement of
 6      financial interests.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The definition of "person" in section 1102 of
10   Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended
11   and the section is amended by adding definitions to read:
12   § 1102.    Definitions.
13      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
14   shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
15   meanings given to them in this section:
16      * * *
17      "Cash."    United States currency and coin and foreign currency
18   and coin.
19      * * *
 1      "Lobbyist."     Any individual, association, corporation,
 2   partnership, business trust or other entity that engages in
 3   lobbying on behalf of a principal for economic consideration and
 4   that is registered under Chapter 13A (relating to lobbying
 5   disclosure). The term includes an attorney at law while engaged
 6   in lobbying.
 7      * * *
 8      "Person."     A business, governmental body, individual,
 9   including an individual lobbyist or employee of a lobbyist,
10   corporation, union, association, firm, partnership, committee,
11   club or other organization or group of persons.
12      * * *
13      Section 2.     Section 1103(b) and (c) of Title 65 are amended
14   to read:
15   § 1103.    Restricted activities.
16      * * *
17      (b)     Seeking improper influence.--No person shall offer or
18   give to a public official, public employee or nominee or
19   candidate for public office or a member of his immediate family
20   or a business with which he is associated anything of monetary
21   value, including a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or
22   promise of future employment, or any valuable consideration
23   under section 1103.2 (relating to gift ban exceptions), based on
24   the offeror's or donor's understanding that the vote, official
25   action or judgment of the public official or public employee or
26   nominee or candidate for public office would be influenced
27   thereby.
28      (c)     Accepting improper influence.--No public official,
29   public employee or nominee or candidate for public office shall
30   solicit or accept anything of monetary value, including a gift,

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 1   loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future
 2   employment, or any valuable consideration under section 1103.2,
 3   based on any understanding of that public official, public
 4   employee or nominee that the vote, official action or judgment
 5   of the public official or public employee or nominee or
 6   candidate for public office would be influenced thereby.
 7      * * *
 8      Section 3.      Title 65 is amended by adding sections to read:
 9   § 1103.1.    Gift ban.
10      Except as provided in section 1103.2 (relating to gift ban
11   exceptions), to help ensure that a person may not seek or accept
12   improper influence in accordance with section 1103 (relating to
13   restricted activities), a public official, public employee or
14   nominee or candidate for public office may not receive, accept,
15   take, seek or solicit any of the following:
16          (1)    Gifts, other than gifts of cash, having either an
17      aggregate fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater
18      than $50 from any one person in a calendar year.
19          (2)    A gift of cash.
20   § 1103.2.    Gift ban exceptions.
21      The prohibitions listed in section 1103.1 (relating to gift
22   ban) shall not apply to any of the following:
23          (1)    A gift or any hospitality, transportation or lodging
24      from any of the following:
25                (i)    A parent, sibling, spouse, child, stepchild,
26          stepparent, stepsibling, grandparent, grandchild, parent-
27          in-law, sibling-in-law or other family member or friend
28          when the circumstances make it clear that the motivation
29          for the gift or hospitality, transportation or lodging
30          was a personal or family relationship. The exception

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 1        under this subparagraph does not apply to a gift of cash
 2        to a nominee or candidate for public office. For the
 3        purposes of this subparagraph, the term "friend" does not
 4        include a lobbyist or an employee of a lobbyist.
 5              (ii)    A lobbyist or employee of a lobbyist for the
 6        celebration of a major life event, including a wedding,
 7        graduation or the birth of a child.
 8              (iii)    A lobbyist or employee of a lobbyist if the
 9        public official, public employee or nominee or candidate
10        for public office who receives the gift or hospitality,
11        transportation or lodging is involved in a personal
12        romantic relationship with the lobbyist or employee of a
13        lobbyist and the circumstances make it clear that the
14        motivation for the gift or hospitality, transportation or
15        lodging is related to the personal romantic relationship.
16        The exception under this subparagraph does not apply to a
17        gift of cash to a nominee or candidate for public office.
18        (2)   A contribution, as defined in section 1621 of the
19    act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
20    Pennsylvania Election Code, lawfully made under that act.
21        (3)   Informational material sent to the office of a
22    public official or public employee in the form of a book,
23    article, periodical, other written material, audiotape,
24    videotape or other forms of communication for
25    nonentertainment purposes.
26        (4)   An award or prize given to competitors in a contest
27    or event open to the public, including random drawings.
28        (5)   An honorary degree or award and associated travel,
29    food, refreshments and entertainment provided in the
30    presentation of the degree or award.

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 1        (6)     Training provided to a public official or public
 2    employee if the training is in the interest of a governmental
 3    entity. This paragraph shall include food and refreshments
 4    furnished to all attendees as an integral part of the
 5    training.
 6        (7)     Food and beverage for consumption at any of the
 7    following:
 8               (i)    A public event, including a public meeting.
 9               (ii)    An event directly related to the duties and
10        responsibilities of a public official or public employee.
11               (iii)    An event where a public official or public
12        employee is a speaker or a member of a panel.
13               (iv)    A regularly scheduled event sponsored by a
14        constituent, Statewide organization or nonprofit
15        organization.
16        (8)     Gifts exchanged between public officials or public
17    employees and their staffs on a voluntary basis.
18        (9)     An educational mission, including a meeting with
19    governmental officials, either foreign or domestic, intended
20    to educate a public official or public employee on matters of
21    public policy, to which the public official or public
22    employee may be invited to participate along with other
23    Federal, State or local public officials or community
24    leaders.
25        (10)     Anything paid for by a Federal, State or other
26    government or governmental entity under a government
27    contract.
28        (11)     An honorarium, including an award, plaque, trophy
29    or other item, valued at $100 or less that is substantially
30    commemorative in nature.

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 1             (12)    Tokens, such as a greeting card, pen, cap or t-
 2      shirt, or light food or refreshments, having de minimis
 3      economic impact.
 4             (13)    Light food or refreshments, such as hors d'oeuvres,
 5      snacks, desserts or baked goods, in a group setting and
 6      intended for mass consumption and not intended for
 7      consumption by a specific individual.
 8             (14)    Complimentary attendance and food or beverage at a
 9      bona fide charitable or political event.
10             (15)    A resource that contributes to the health or
11      welfare of the public from any of the following:
12                    (i)    A governmental body.
13                    (ii)    An organization or association of public
14             officials or employees of political subdivisions, which a
15             public official or public employee serves in an official
16             capacity.
17                    (iii)    A private foundation as defined under 26
18             U.S.C. § 509 (relating to private foundation defined).
19                    (iv)    An organization exempt from taxes under 26
20             U.S.C. § 501(c)(4), (19) or (23) (relating to exemption
21             from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.).
22      Section 4.          Section 1105(b)(6) and (7) of Title 65 are
23   amended and the subsection is amended by adding paragraphs to
24   read:
25   § 1105.    Statement of financial interests.
26      * * *
27      (b)    Required information.--The statement shall include the
28   following information for the prior calendar year with regard to
29   the person required to file the statement:
30             * * *

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 1        (6)   The name and address of the source and the amount of
 2    any gift or gifts valued in the aggregate at [$250 or more]
 3    $50 or less and the circumstances of each gift. This
 4    paragraph shall not apply to a gift [or gifts received from a
 5    spouse, parent, parent by marriage, sibling, child,
 6    grandchild, other family member or friend when the
 7    circumstances make it clear that the motivation for the
 8    action was a personal or family relationship. However, for
 9    the purposes of this paragraph, the term "friend" shall not
10    include a registered lobbyist or an employee of a registered
11    lobbyist.] under section 1103.2(1) or (13) (relating to gift
12    ban exceptions).
13        (7)   The name and address of the source and the amount of
14    any payment for or reimbursement of actual expenses for
15    transportation [and], lodging or hospitality [received in
16    connection with public office or employment where such actual
17    expenses for transportation and lodging or hospitality exceed
18    $650 in an aggregate amount per year.] and the circumstances
19    surrounding the payment or reimbursement. This paragraph
20    shall not apply to [expenses reimbursed by a governmental
21    body or to expenses reimbursed by an organization or
22    association of public officials or employees of political
23    subdivisions which the public official or employee serves in
24    an official capacity.] transportation, lodging or hospitality
25    under section 1103.2(1).
26        (7.1)     The name and address of the source of any
27    honorarium valued at more than $50 and the circumstances
28    surrounding the receipt of the honorarium.
29        (7.2)     The name and address of the source and the amount
30    of any awards or prizes valued in the aggregate of more than

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1     $500 and the circumstances surrounding each award or prize.
2         * * *
3     Section 5.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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