Relating to permissible honoraria from restricted donors to public officials and public employees and making penalties applicable

This bill relates to permissible honoraria from restricted donors to public officials and public employees. Under Code chapter 68B (government ethics and lobbying), a public official or public employee is prohibited from seeking or accepting an honorarium from a restricted donor, subject to certain exceptions. One such exception permits a public official or public employee to accept an honorarium if the honorarium consists of payment for the public official or public employee’s actual expenses for registration, food, beverages, travel, and lodging paid in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement when the expenses relate directly to the day or days on which the public official or public employee has participation or presentation responsibilities. The bill provides that a public official or public employee may not accept an honorarium that is payment for actual expenses in exchange for a panel or speaking engagement if the payment exceeds $499 per day. A knowing and intentional violation of the limitations on accepting an honorarium is a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875. In addition, a person who accepts an honorarium in violation of Code chapter 68B is subject to civil penalties or disciplinary action issued by the ethics and campaign disclosure board and to disciplinary action taken by the ethics committees of the senate and house of representatives.