[CAUT] Ethics and Seminars

[Mitch Staples]

[CAUT] lighter touchweight
  I recently had to do a little homework to prove to the financial officer
here at the OSU School of Music that it is legal for a piano dealer to pay
for my attendance of a seminar.

  I am curious to know if other states have law codes similar to Ohio
regarding public employees.  Since I don't have a lot of time to spend
writing letters I'll just copy the relevant portion of the letter that I
sent.

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  ... so I did a little homework to make sure it would jive with Ohio ethics
law - and it does.

  -snip-

  Section 102.03 I - addresses this type of thing directly:

  http://ethics.ohio.gov/ethicslawrevisedcode.html

  (I) A public official or employee may accept travel, meals, and lodging or
expenses or reimbursement of expenses for travel, meals, and lodging in
connection with conferences, seminars, and similar events related to
official duties if the travel, meals, and lodging, expenses, or
reimbursement is not of such a character as to manifest a substantial and
improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that
person's duties. The house of representatives and senate, in their code of
ethics, and the Ohio ethics commission, under section 111.15 of the Revised
Code, may adopt rules setting standards and conditions for the furnishing
and acceptance of such travel, meals, and lodging, expenses, or
reimbursement.

  A person who acts in compliance with this division and any applicable
rules adopted under it, or any applicable, similar rules adopted by the
supreme court governing judicial officers and employees, does not violate
division (D), (E), or (F) of this section. This division does not preclude
any person from seeking an advisory opinion from the appropriate ethics
commission under section 102.08 of the Revised Code.

  -snip-

  Not only is it legal but I think it is in xxxxxxxxx's legitimate self
interest to see that the piano technician is properly educated and equipped
to care for the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth in pianos that he has
loaned to the school of music...

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  Have any other CAUTs had to look into these laws?   And are the laws
similar in every state?

  Mitch Staples - Ohio State University





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