Code of Ethics (520-RICR-00-00-1)

520-RICR-00-00-1 PROPOSED RULE

Title 520 Ethics Commission
Chapter 00 N/A
Subchapter 00 N/A
Part 1 Code of Ethics (520-RICR-00-00-1)
Type of Filing Amendment
Regulation Status Proposed
Filing Notice Date 06/26/2025
Filing Hearing Date(s) 09/09/2025
Public Comment Dates 06/26/2025 to 09/16/2025

Regulation Authority:

R.I. Constitution
art. III
sec. 8
R.I. Gen. Laws § R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-9(a)(3)

Purpose and Reason:

There are two proposed amendments to the Code of Ethics' gift rule at 520-RICR-00-00-1.4.2. Each proposed amendment is independent of the other.
A. As to Gift Limits:  The Code of Ethics’ gift rule has, since 2005, prohibited gifts from interested persons to public officials that are valued in excess of $25 per gift or $75 in aggregate from the same source. This proposed amendment to subsection (B) of 520-RICR-00-00-1.4.2 raises those limits to $50 per gift or $150 in aggregate to acknowledge increases in inflation over the last twenty years and moving forward.
B. As to Definition of “Interested Person” to include Lobbyists:  The gift rule prohibits public officials from accepting expensive gifts from an “interested person,” which is defined to mean a person or entity with a direct financial interest in decisions made by the public official. While this definition has historically been understood to include gifts from lobbyists to the public officials they lobby, lobbyists for not-for-profit entities may not fit neatly into this definition. This amendment to subsections (C) and (D) of 520-RICR-00-00-1.4.2 seeks to expressly prohibit expensive gifts from all lobbyists to the public officials they are lobbying.

ACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/04/2022
INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 05/25/2018 to 01/04/2022
INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 06/03/2012 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 02/06/2012 to 06/03/2012
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 04/15/2008 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 02/01/2007 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 02/01/2007 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 02/01/2007 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 02/01/2007 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 02/01/2007 to 02/01/2007
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 10/22/2006 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 10/22/2006 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 10/22/2006 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 10/22/2006 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 04/12/2005 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 04/12/2005 to 04/12/2005
INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 04/12/2005
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 02/01/2007
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 10/22/2006
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 02/06/2012
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 01/28/2002
INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/28/2002 to 05/25/2018

1

Comment(s) Received*

Received on July 02, 2025 by Ethics Test

This comment was reviewed but not published by the agency. The reason given was: Irrelevant

* This count refers to the total comment submissions received on this document, as of 11:59 PM yesterday.
Note: Agencies review all submissions; however, some agencies may choose to withhold certain submissions such as those containing private or sensitive information, profane or threatening language, or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. This can result in discrepancies between this count and the actual number of comments displayed on this page. For specific information about a comment you submitted, please contact the agency directly.


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