Bill > H0655

This bill requires elected municipal officials to complete annual ethics training, similar to existing requirements for other public officials, and revises the procedures for state, local, and appointed public officers to disclose abstentions and conflicts of interest by introducing "certificates of recusal" or "memoranda of disclosure." It also allows reporting individuals and procurement employees to request advisory opinions from their agency's attorney regarding honoraria and prohibited gifts, and mandates that the Commission on Ethics impose civil penalties on individuals who file complaints with malicious intent, while also requiring the commission to dismiss complaints if the officer or employee consulted their attorney, disclosed all relevant facts, and reasonably relied on the attorney's opinion. Furthermore, the bill prohibits one political subdivision from imposing additional conduct standards on the officers and employees of another political subdivision and clarifies that members of governmental bodies must vote unless there is a conflict of interest, in which case they must follow disclosure requirements.