Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission

Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission

Index of Opinions

This is an index of advisory opinions. The index should not be read as a substitute for the law. For the complete advisory opinion, click the hyperlink listed below or contact the Legislative Ethics Commission. Please note – past advisory opinions may not reflect changes in the Legislative Ethics Code. Please contact Commission staff to verify that past advisory opinions reflect current law.​


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ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS

ANYTHING OF VALUE

Excludes:

Includes:

  • Airport parking passes, 93-17
  • Box seats at entertainment facility, 93-42, 93-63
  • Discounts, rebates, 93-42, 94-19
  • Examinations, health, vision, 94-19
  • Gifts, in general, 93-49
  • Membership in recreational facility, 93-17
  • Membership on golf team 94-22
  • Prizes, 93-1
  • Trips, 94-15

APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY

AREA DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

  • Governmental organization, 93-17
  • Sponsoring meetings, 93-21
  • Employment of GA member, 02-02

ASSOCIATIONS (See also BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS)

ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS (See also MEETINGS)

ATTORNEY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS (See Associations)

  • Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, 93-24
  • Film Commission, 93-53
  • Industrial Development Board, 93-17
  • Legislative Research Commission staff, 93-58
  • Legislators serving on, 93-53, 93-60, 95-7, 97-1
  • Local government planning commission, 93-34
  • Parole Board, 93-4
  • Public Service Commission, 93-14, 98-4
  • School Board, 93-45, 96-1
  • Unemployment Insurance Commission, 93-23
  • Workers' Compensation Board, 93-11

CABINET SECRETARIES

CAMPAIGNS (See also CONTRIBUTIONS)

CANDIDATES

General assembly

Other offices:

CAUCUS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (See ASSOCIATIONS)

CHARITABLE, CIVIC, GOVERNMENTAL

CITY/COUNTY GOVERNMENT (See LOCAL GOVERNMENT)

CLIENT (See LEGISLATORS)

COMMISSION MEMBERS

  • Political campaign activity, 01-04

COMMONWEALTH TRAINING PARTNERSHIP

  • Legislators may contract with, 94-33

COMPENSATION

COMPETITIVE BIDDING

  • Legislator's business interest, 93-22, 95-5
  • Legislator's employer's interest, 95-12
  • Legislator's non-profit interest, 94-6
  • Small Purchase Procedures, 95-5

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

CONSTITUENT SERVICES

  • Contact with state agency:
    • Complaints, 93-21
    • Judicial personnel, 94-42
    • Parole Board, 93-4
    • Recommendation for employment, 93-19
    • Requesting prisoner transfer, 93-25
    • Supporting grant application, 93-21
    • Supporting intervener status, 93-14
  • Federal concerns, 95-11
  • Use of green slips (constituent contacts), 18-01

CONTRIBUTIONS (See also CAMPAIGNS; LEGISLATORS, Political campaigns and Political fundraising)

Charitable

Political

EDUCATIONAL ITEMS (See also GIFTS)

EMPLOYEES

EMPLOYERS

  • Employment of a lobbyist:
  • Events - See EVENTS
  • Interpreted, 93-52, 94-29, 95-17
  • Prohibitions - See PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS (EMPLOYER & AGENT)
  • Registration - See REGISTRATION
  • Statement of expenditures - See STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
  • Updated registration - See UPDATED REGISTRATION

ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY BOXES/SEATS (See EVENTS and GIFTS)

EVENTS

EXECUTIVES

  • As legislative agents, 93-48
  • Private employees as, 93-43
  • Legislator as:

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

  • At end of legislative service, 95-3
  • Customer is not a "client", 93-31
  • Final year, 95-3
  • Gross income, 94-34, 12-01
  • Honoraria, 95-9
  • Immediate family, 94-34
  • Income as auctioneer, 93-9
  • Income of spouse, 94-34
  • Lawyer/Legislator's law firm partners, 93-15, 93-24, 93-62, 94-32
  • Legislative agent/employer as client, 93-22
  • Legislative agent as employer, 94-34
  • Legislative branch major management personnel, 93-58
  • Private business transactions, 93-40, 94-34, 94-12
  • Real estate activity, 94-12
  • Speaking fees, private sector employment, 95-9

FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

  • Employer of legislative agent required to report, 93-6, 93-22
  • Private citizen not required to report, 93-6
  • Legislative agent required to report, 93-22, 94-12
  • Legislator required to report, 93-22, 94-12
  • Sale of internet services to legislators, reportable as, 99-2

FOOD AND BEVERAGES (See ANYTHING OF VALUE)

FOOTBALL GAME PASSES

  • Legislator may accept, 93-36

GIFTS

  • Airport parking passes, 93-17
  • Box seats, entertainment facility, 93-42, 93-63, 93-66, 98-5 (supersedes 93-66)
  • Cash prizes, 93-1
  • Examinations, health, vision, 94-19
  • Food and beverage - See ANYTHING OF VALUE
  • Garbage bags, 00-1
  • Golf - See EVENTS
  • Informational, promotional, educational items 93-16
  • Newspaper, 95-18
  • Office space, 93-68
  • Parking passes, 93-17
  • Plaques, 93-16, 93-21
  • Recreation facility, membership, 93-17
  • Seats, entertainment facility, 93-66, 98-5 (supersedes 93-66)
  • Tickets - See EVENTS

HONORARIA

INCOMPATIBLE OFFICES

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD

  • Co-sponsors of event, 93-17

INFLUENCE

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS (See also GIFTS)

  • Seedlings, 94-10
  • Taped interviews with legislators, 94-11

INTERNET WEB SITES

  • Legislative leadership may create, 14-01
  • Not lobbying, 96-8
  • Placement of LRC toll-free number, 01-02
  • Use of websites for fundraising, 16-01

INTERIM OFFICE OF HEALTH PLANNING AND CERTIFICATION

  • Lawyer/Legislator prohibited from practice before, 93-35

JURISDICTION (See SCOPE OF CODE)

LEADERSHIP/LEGISLATIVE STAFF

LEGISLATION

LEGISLATIVE AGENTS

LEGISLATORS

LOBBY

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

MANAGEMENT SERVICE COMPANY

  • Registration of agents and employers, 93-52, 95-17

MEETINGS

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OPINIONS OF

OFFICIAL CAPACITY/POSITION

  • Advocating private interests, 95-1, 96-3
  • Contacts with judicial personnel, 94-42
  • Local government activities, 93-34, 93-50, 96-3
  • Out-of-state events, 96-5
  • Real estate transactions, 95-1, 96-3
  • Service as official of Caucus Campaign Committee, 06-02 
  • Travel, prior approval required, 96-5
  • Unrelated activities, 95-9
  • Use of official legislative stationery, 01-03

OFFICIAL STATIONERY (See PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS)

PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT

PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS (EMPLOYERS & AGENTS)

PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS (LEGISLATORS)

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS (See GIFTS)

PUBLIC SERVANTS

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

  • Joint ownership, legislator and legislative agent, 94-12
  • Candidates may lease to state entity, 94-20
  • Legislator acting in private capacity, 95-1, 96-3

RECEPTIONS (See also EVENTS and MEETINGS)

RECOGNIZED GENERAL ASSEMBLY EVENTS (See EVENTS)

REGISTRATION (See also UPDATED REGISTRATION)

RESOLUTIONS

  • Registration required in order to lobby, 94-13

SCOPE OF CODE

SOLICITATIONS (See CONTRIBUTIONS)

SPOUSE

STATE AGENCIES

  • Commonwealth Training Partnership, 94-33
  • Department of Highways, 93-24
  • Department of Insurance, 93-41
  • Department of Public Advocacy, 94-16
  • Interim Office of Health Planning and Certification, 93-35
  • Kentucky Retirement Systems, 93-38
  • Natural Resources Cabinet, 94-39

STATE AGENCY INTERACTION

  • Agency sponsored event, 94-9
  • Bond underwriting, 93-15
  • Cabinet secretaries, lobbying, 94-14
  • Competitive bidding, 94-6, 95-5
  • Constituent complaints and requests, 93-4, 93-21, 93-25
  • Contracts:
    • For goods, services, 95-5, 95-12
    • Real estate transactions, 94-20
    • With Department of Public Advocacy, 94-16
    • With Legislators, 94-33
    • With Legislator's Employer, 95-12
  • County sheriff's office not state agency, 94-18
  • Employment recommendation to, 93-19
  • Grant application, supporting, 93-21
  • Informational contacts, 93-21, 93-25
  • Intervener status, supporting, 93-14
  • Judicial personnel, 94-42
  • Lawyer/Legislator representation of, 93-19, 93-41, 02-03
  • Legal action against, 93-23, 93-62, 94-17, 94-32
  • License applicant, representing, 93-8, 93-24, 94-39
  • Local school board not state agency, 93-45
  • Parole Board, 93-4
  • Private interests, 95-1
  • Real estate transactions, 93-45, 94-20, 96-3
  • Small Purchase Procedures, 95-5
  • Unemployment Insurance Commission, 93-23
  • Workers' Compensation Board, 93-11

STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES (AGENT & EMPLOYER)

SUB-CHAPTER S CORPORATION

  • Lawyer/Legislator representing, 93-8

TEACHERS

  • Legislative agents, 93-70

TICKETS (See also EVENTS)

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

  • As employer of legislative agent, 93-6, 96-4
  • Interpreted, 96-6
  • Lawyer/Legislator as member of, 93-37

UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES

  • Commonwealth Training Partnership, 94-33
  • Private corporation supporting, 93-24
  • Real estate transactions, 94-20
  • Recreational facility membership, 93-17
  • Representing clients against, 93-7
  • Seminars, 93-5
  • Scholarships, 93-17, 93-51
  • State agency, identity as, 94-20
  • Tickets to events, 04-02
  • University Extension Service, 93-21

UPDATED REGISTRATION

USE OF OFFICIAL STATIONERY (See PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS)

USE OF STATE PERSONNEL (See PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS)

USE OF LEGISLATIVE TITLE (See PROHIBITIONS/RESTRICTIONS)

VIOLATIONS

Ethical misconduct

Felony

  • Failure to register, 93-52

Felony, Class D

Misdemeanor, Class A

  • Acceptance of benefit, 93-17
  • Conflict of interest, 93-61, 97-2
  • Contact with agency, improper, 94-42, 95-1
  • Private employment, 94-8
  • Use of public resources, 93-58

Misdemeanor, Class B

VOLUNTEERS

VOTING

WORKERS' COMPENSATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

  • Not regulated by Ethics Commission, 93-65
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Index of Opinions