AN ACT CONCERNING STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS UNDER THE CODE OF ETHICS.

AN ACT CONCERNING STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS UNDER THE CODE OF ETHICS.

This bill expands the requirement to file an annual statement of financial interests with the Office of State Ethics (OSE) to the following state officials and employees:

1. division heads;

2. chiefs of staff to legislators, the governor, and the lieutenant governor;

3. employees whose primary responsibilities include awarding contracts valued at $ 10,000 or more;

4. non-clerical employees of the Department of Public Works' unit responsible for acquiring, leasing, and selling real property; and

5. agency procurement officers.

It also requires State Properties Review Board members and employees to complete the same statement of financial interests as other state officials and employees and file it at the same time. Currently, these members and employees file a truncated statement with OSE and the board annually on April 15 if they held the position during the preceding calendar year.

By law, certain officials must file with OSE, by May 1, annually, a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year. The law applies to state elected officials, department heads and their deputies, Gaming Policy Board members, State Contracting Standards Board members, Division of Special Revenue executive director, quasi-public agency directors and members, Investment Advisory Council members, state marshals, and any executive branch members or quasi-public agency employees the governor specifies.

1. the names of associated businesses;

2. all sources of income, including the name of each employer, with a description of each source in excess of $ 1,000, without specifying the income amounts;

3. the names of securities in excess of $ 5,000 owned by the individual, his or her spouse and children, or held in a corporation, partnership, or trust for them;

4. a list of all real property and its location and whether its owned by the individual, his or her spouse or children, or held in a corporation, partnership, or trust for them;

5. the existence of any known blind trusts and trustees' names;

6. the names and addresses of creditors owed more than $ 10,000;

7. any state leases or contracts entered into by the individual or an associated business; and

8. a description of any partnership, joint ownership, or similar business affiliation between an associated business and a registered lobbyist, person doing or seeking to do business with the state; business engaged in activities regulated by the filer's agency; or business associated with the lobbyist or person.