Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-84

Current with legislation from the 2024 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 1-84 - (Formerly Sec. 1-66). Prohibited activities. Exception re employment of immediate family at constituent unit

(a) No public official or state employee shall, while serving as such, have any financial interest in, or engage in, any business, employment, transaction or professional activity, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his duties or employment in the public interest and of his responsibilities as prescribed in the laws of this state, as defined in section 1-85.

(b) No public official or state employee shall accept other employment which will either impair his independence of judgment as to his official duties or employment or require him, or induce him, to disclose confidential information acquired by him in the course of and by reason of his official duties.

(c) No public official or state employee shall wilfully and knowingly disclose, for financial gain, to any other person, confidential information acquired by him in the course of and by reason of his official duties or employment and no public official or state employee shall use his public office or position or any confidential information received through his holding such public office or position to obtain financial gain for himself, his spouse, child, child's spouse, parent, brother or sister or a business with which he is associated.

(d) No public official or state employee or employee of such public official or state employee shall agree to accept, or be a member or employee of a partnership, association, professional corporation or sole proprietorship which partnership, association, professional corporation or sole proprietorship agrees to accept any employment, fee or other thing of value, or portion thereof, for appearing, agreeing to appear, or taking any other action on behalf of another person before the Department of Banking, the Office of the Claims Commissioner, the Health Systems Planning Unit of the Office of Health Strategy, the Insurance Department, the Department of Consumer Protection, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the State Insurance and Risk Management Board, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Connecticut Siting Council or the Connecticut Real Estate Commission; provided this shall not prohibit any such person from making inquiry for information on behalf of another before any of said commissions or commissioners if no fee or reward is given or promised in consequence thereof. For the purpose of this subsection, partnerships, associations, professional corporations or sole proprietorships refer only to such partnerships, associations, professional corporations or sole proprietorships which have been formed to carry on the business or profession directly relating to the employment, appearing, agreeing to appear or taking of action provided for in this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit any employment, appearing, agreeing to appear or taking action before any municipal board, commission or council. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as applying (1) to the actions of any teaching or research professional employee of a public institution of higher education if such actions are not in violation of any other provision of this chapter, (2) to the actions of any other professional employee of a public institution of higher education if such actions are not compensated and are not in violation of any other provision of this chapter, (3) to any member of a board or commission who receives no compensation other than per diem payments or reimbursement for actual or necessary expenses, or both, incurred in the performance of the member's duties, or (4) to any member or director of a quasi-public agency. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, a legislator, an officer of the General Assembly or part-time legislative employee may be or become a member or employee of a firm, partnership, association or professional corporation which represents clients for compensation before agencies listed in this subsection, provided the legislator, officer of the General Assembly or part-time legislative employee shall take no part in any matter involving the agency listed in this subsection and shall not receive compensation from any such matter. Receipt of a previously established salary, not based on the current or anticipated business of the firm, partnership, association or professional corporation involving the agencies listed in this subsection, shall be permitted.

(e) No legislative commissioner or his partners, employees or associates shall represent any person subject to the provisions of part II concerning the promotion of or opposition to legislation before the General Assembly, or accept any employment which includes an agreement or understanding to influence, or which is inconsistent with, the performance of his official duties.

(f) No person shall offer or give to a public official or state employee or candidate for public office or his spouse, his parent, brother, sister or child or spouse of such child or a business with which he is associated, anything of value, including, but not limited to, a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future employment based on any understanding that the vote, official action or judgment of the public official, state employee or candidate for public office would be or had been influenced thereby.

(g) No public official or state employee or candidate for public office shall solicit or accept anything of value, including but not limited to, a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future employment based on any understanding that the vote, official action or judgment of the public official or state employee or candidate for public office would be or had been influenced thereby.

(h) Nothing in subsection (f) or (g) of this section shall be construed (1) to apply to any promise made in violation of subdivision (6) of section 9-622, or (2) to permit any activity otherwise prohibited in section 53a-147 or 53a-148.

(i)

(1) No public official or state employee or member of the official or employee's immediate family or a business with which he is associated shall enter into any contract with the state, valued at one hundred dollars or more, other than a contract (A) of employment as a state employee, (B) with the Technical Education and Career System for students enrolled in a school in the system to perform services in conjunction with vocational, technical, technological or postsecondary education and training any such student is receiving at a school in the system, subject to the review process under subdivision (2) of this subsection, (C) with a public institution of higher education to support a collaboration with such institution to develop and commercialize any invention or discovery, or (D) pursuant to a court appointment, unless the contract has been awarded through an open and public process, including prior public offer and subsequent public disclosure of all proposals considered and the contract awarded. In no event shall an executive head of an agency, as defined in section 4-166, including a commissioner of a department, or an executive head of a quasi-public agency, or the executive head's immediate family or a business with which he is associated enter into any contract with that agency or quasi-public agency. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as applying to any public official who is appointed as a member of the executive branch or as a member or director of a quasi-public agency and who receives no compensation other than per diem payments or reimbursement for actual or necessary expenses, or both, incurred in the performance of the public official's duties unless such public official has authority or control over the subject matter of the contract. Any contract made in violation of this subsection shall be voidable by a court of competent jurisdiction if the suit is commenced not later than one hundred eighty days after the making of the contract.

(2) The superintendent of the Technical Education and Career System shall establish an open and transparent process to review any contract entered into under subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(j) No public official, state employee or candidate for public office, or a member of any such person's staff or immediate family shall knowingly accept any gift, as defined in subdivision (5) of section 1-79, from a person known to be a registrant or anyone known to be acting on behalf of a registrant.

(k) No public official, spouse of the Governor or state employee shall accept a fee or honorarium for an article, appearance or speech, or for participation at an event, in the public official's, spouse's or state employee's official capacity, provided a public official, Governor's spouse or state employee may receive payment or reimbursement for necessary expenses for any such activity in his or her official capacity. If a public official, Governor's spouse or state employee receives such a payment or reimbursement for lodging or out-of-state travel, or both, the public official, Governor's spouse or state employee shall, not later than thirty days thereafter, file a report of the payment or reimbursement with the Office of State Ethics, unless the payment or reimbursement is provided by the federal government or another state government. If a public official, Governor's spouse or state employee does not file such report within such period, either intentionally or due to gross negligence on the public official's, Governor's spouse's or state employee's part, the public official, Governor's spouse or state employee shall return the payment or reimbursement. If any failure to file such report is not intentional or due to gross negligence on the part of the public official, Governor's spouse or state employee, the public official, Governor's spouse or state employee shall not be subject to any penalty under this chapter. When a public official, Governor's spouse or state employee attends an event in this state in the public official's, Governor's spouse's or state employee's official capacity and as a principal speaker at such event and receives admission to or food or beverage at such event from the sponsor of the event, such admission or food or beverage shall not be considered a gift and no report shall be required from such public official, spouse or state employee or from the sponsor of the event.

(l) No public official or state employee, or any person acting on behalf of a public official or state employee, shall wilfully and knowingly interfere with, influence, direct or solicit existing or new lobbying contracts, agreements or business relationships for or on behalf of any person.

(m) No public official or state employee shall knowingly accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, as defined in subdivision (5) of section 1-79, from any person the public official or state employee knows or has reason to know:

(1) Is doing business with or seeking to do business with the department or agency in which the public official or state employee is employed;

(2) is engaged in activities which are directly regulated by such department or agency; or

(3) is prequalified under section 4a-100. No person shall knowingly give, directly or indirectly, any gift or gifts in violation of this provision. For the purposes of this subsection, the exclusion to the term "gift" in subparagraph (L) of subdivision (5) of section 1-79 for a gift for the celebration of a major life event shall not apply. Any person prohibited from making a gift under this subsection shall report to the Office of State Ethics any solicitation of a gift from such person by a state employee or public official.

(n)

(1) As used in this subsection, (A) "investment services" means investment legal services, investment banking services, investment advisory services, underwriting services, financial advisory services or brokerage firm services, and (B) "principal of an investment services firm" means (i) an individual who is a director of or has an ownership interest in an investment services firm, except for an individual who owns less than five per cent of the shares of an investment services firm which is a publicly traded corporation, (ii) an individual who is employed by an investment services firm as president, treasurer, or executive or senior vice president, (iii) an employee of such an investment services firm who has managerial or discretionary responsibilities with respect to any investment services, (iv) the spouse or dependent child of an individual described in this subparagraph, or (v) a political committee established by or on behalf of an individual described in this subparagraph.

(2) The State Treasurer shall not pay any compensation, expenses or fees or issue any contract to any firm which provides investment services when (A) a political committee, as defined in section 9-601, established by such firm, or (B) a principal of the investment services firm has made a contribution, as defined in section 9-601a, to, or solicited contributions on behalf of, any exploratory committee or candidate committee, as defined in section 9-601, established by the State Treasurer as a candidate for nomination or election to the office of State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall not pay any compensation, expenses or fees or issue any contract to such firms or principals during the term of office as State Treasurer, including, for an incumbent State Treasurer seeking reelection, any remainder of the current term of office.

(o) If (1) any person (A) is doing business with or seeking to do business with the department or agency in which a public official or state employee is employed, or (B) is engaged in activities which are directly regulated by such department or agency, and (2) such person or a representative of such person gives to such public official or state employee anything having a value of more than ten dollars, such person or representative shall, not later than ten days thereafter, give such recipient and the executive head of the recipient's department or agency a written report stating the name of the donor, a description of the item or items given, the value of such items and the cumulative value of all items given to such recipient during that calendar year. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a political contribution otherwise reported as required by law.

(p)

(1) No public official or state employee or member of the immediate family of a public official or state employee shall knowingly accept, directly or indirectly, any gift costing one hundred dollars or more from a public official or state employee who is under the supervision of such public official or state employee.

(2) No public official or state employee or member of the immediate family of a public official or state employee shall knowingly accept, directly or indirectly, any gift costing one hundred dollars or more from a public official or state employee who is a supervisor of such public official or state employee.

(3) No public official or state employee shall knowingly give, directly or indirectly, any gift in violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection.

(q) No public official or state employee shall intentionally counsel, authorize or otherwise sanction action that violates any provision of this part.

(r)

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a member of the faculty or a member of a faculty bargaining unit of a constituent unit of the state system of higher education may enter into a consulting agreement or engage in a research project with a public or private entity, provided such agreement or project does not conflict with the member's employment with the constituent unit, as determined by policies established by the board of trustees for such constituent unit.

(2) The board of trustees for each constituent unit of the state system of higher education shall establish policies to ensure that any such member who enters such a consulting agreement or engages in such a research project (A) is not inappropriately using university proprietary information in connection with such agreement or project, (B) does not have an interest in such agreement or project that interferes with the proper discharge of his or her employment with the constituent unit, and (C) is not inappropriately using such member's association with the constituent unit in connection with such agreement or project. Such policies shall (i) establish procedures for the disclosure, review and management of conflicts of interest relating to any such agreement or project, (ii) require the approval by the chief academic officer of the constituent unit, or his or her designee, prior to any such member entering into any such agreement or engaging in any such project, and (iii) include procedures that impose sanctions and penalties on any member for failing to comply with the provisions of the policies. Annually, the internal audit office of each constituent unit shall audit the constituent unit's compliance with such policies and report its findings to the committee of the constituent unit established pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "consulting" means the provision of services for compensation to a public or private entity by a member of the faculty or member of a faculty bargaining unit of a constituent unit of the state system of higher education:

(I) When the request to provide such services is based on such member's expertise in a field or prominence in such field, and

(II) while such member is not acting in the capacity of a state employee, and "research" means a systematic investigation, including, but not limited to, research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to general knowledge in the applicable field of study.

(3) There is established a committee for each constituent unit of the state system of higher education to monitor the constituent unit's compliance with the policies and procedures described in subdivision (2) of this subsection governing consulting agreements and research projects with public or private entities by a member of the faculty or a member of a faculty bargaining unit of such constituent unit. Each committee shall consist of nine members as follows:

(A) Three members, appointed jointly by the Governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the Senate, who shall serve as members for each such committee;

(B) one member appointed by the chairperson of the constituent unit's board of trustees from the membership of such board;

(C) the chief academic officer of the constituent unit, or his or her designee;

(D) three members appointed by the chief executive officer of the constituent unit; and

(E) one member appointed by the chairperson of the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board from the membership of such board. Members shall serve for a term of two years. Any vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority. Each committee shall (i) review the annual reports submitted by the internal audit office for the constituent unit, pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, (ii) make recommendations, annually, to the board of trustees of the constituent unit concerning the policies and procedures of the constituent unit established pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, including any changes to such policies and procedures, and (iii) send a copy of such recommendations, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and government administration.

(4) The provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall apply to any member of the faculty or member of a faculty bargaining unit of a constituent unit of the state system of higher education who enters such a consulting agreement or engages in such a research project without prior approval, as described in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(s) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of this part, a state employee who is employed at a constituent unit of the state system of higher education and a member of the immediate family of such state employee may be employed in the same department or division of such constituent unit, provided the constituent unit has determined that procedures have been implemented to ensure that any final decisions impacting the financial interests of either such state employee, including decisions to hire, promote, increase the compensation of or renew the employment of such state employee, are made by another state employee who is not a member of the immediate family of such state employee.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-84

(1971, P.A. 822, S. 1; P.A. 75-605, S. 20, 27; P.A. 76-302, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-600, S. 6, 15; 77-604, S. 68, 84; 77-605, S. 13, 21; 77-614, S. 165, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 37, 136; P.A. 79-404, S. 1, 45; 79-493, S. 5, 7, 9; P.A. 80-482, S. 1, 4, 170, 191, 345, 348; 80-483, S. 2, 186; P.A. 82-423, S. 6, 8; P.A. 83-249, S. 7, 14; 83-586, S. 4, 14; P.A. 87-9, S. 2, 3; 87-234; 87-524, S. 6, 7; P.A. 88-225, S. 3, 14; P.A. 89-369, S. 3; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-1 , S. 2 , 6 , 22 ; P.A. 92-149 , S. 1 , 12 ; P.A. 94-69 , S. 2 , 3 ; P.A. 95-188 , S. 1 ; 95-195 , S. 4 , 83 ; 95-257 , S. 39 , 58 ; P.A. 96-11 , S. 1 , 5 ; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-6 , S. 2 -5, 14; P.A. 99-51 , S. 1 , 9 ; 99-145 , S. 14 , 23 ; P.A. 00-66 , S. 2 ; P.A. 02-130 , S. 13 ; P.A. 03-215 , S. 5 ; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146 (d); P.A. 04-38 , S. 2 ; 04-169 , S. 17 ; 04-189 , S. 1 ; 04-245 , S. 5 , 6 ; P.A. 05-287 , S. 41 ; P.A. 06-137 , S. 32 ; 06-196 , S. 8 -10; P.A. 07-1 , S. 6 ; 07-166 , S. 11 , 12 ; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 , S. 20 ; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 169; P.A. 11-51 , S. 184 ; 11-80 , S. 1 ; P.A. 12-129 , S. 2 ; 12-206 , S. 1 ; P.A. 13-244 , S. 9 -11; 13-299 , S. 48 ; P.A. 16-127 , S. 24 ; P.A. 17-237 , S. 22 ; P.A. 18-91 , S. 79 ; P.A. 18-175 , S. 7 .)

Amended by P.A. 23-0037, S. 6 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2023.

Amended by P.A. 21-0164, S. 8 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2021.

Amended by P.A. 18-0175, S. 7 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 6/7/2018.

Amended by P.A. 17-0237, S. 22 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2017.

Amended by P.A. 16-0127, S. 24 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 6/9/2016.

Cited. 229 C. 479 . Ethics Commission has jurisdiction in case involving the use of office by state employee for financial gain even if employee's behavior could arguably subject him to discipline by Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to State Personnel Act. 53 CA 808 . A state employee may be found to have used his position to obtain financial gain in violation of Subsec. (c) when he uses state work time or facilities such as e-mail, computer websites or storage or telephones for financial gain while holding such position as a state employee, and such interpretation is entitled to judicial deference as a time-tested interpretation of the board. 140 CA 754 . Not unconstitutionally void for vagueness or overbroad as applied to plaintiff, a high sheriff engaged in fee splitting. 45 CS 242 . Stipulated agreement between union and Workers' Compensation Commission re use of state time for production of transcripts by commission hearing reporters does not govern over provisions of Subsec. (c), which the board properly found to prohibit reporters from preparing transcripts for private sale during state-compensated time. 52 CS 304 .

See Sec. 1-79a re calculation of dollar limit on gifts.