Section 1620.700  Gift Ban

For purposes of further defining exceptions to the Gift Ban [5 ILCS 430/10-15], the Commission defines the following terms:

a)         "Educational materials and missions" are those materials and missions that:

1)         have a close connection to the recipient officer's or employee's State employment or the mission of the agency or office;

2)         primarily benefit the public and not the employee or officer;

3)         are approved by the agency's ethics officer in advance of the mission or receipt of the materials, if practicable. If it is not practicable to obtain advance approval, the mission and materials shall be reported to the agency's ethics officer as soon as practicable and shall contain a detailed explanation of why approval could not be obtained in advance.  The following items may be accepted without ethics officer approval:

A)        Single copies of academic or professional publications or software in the employee's or officer's area of responsibility or field of study.

B)        Waiver of conference registration fees for officers or employees serving as conference speakers, committee members or invitees of the conference host; and

4)         may include registration fees or similar charges for access to educational training, materials, courses, and webinars offered via telephone or video conference, online, or other electronic means of transmission.

b)         Travel Expenses

1)         "Travel expenses for a meeting to discuss State business" are those expenses that:

A)        have a close connection to the recipient officer's or employee's State employment;

B)        primarily benefit the public and not the employee or officer;

C)        are for travel in a style and manner in character with the conduct of State business; and

D)        are approved by the agency's ethics officer in advance of the travel, if practicable.  If it is not practicable to obtain advance approval, the travel shall be reported to the agency's ethics officer as soon as practicable and contain a detailed explanation of why approval could not be obtained in advance.

2)         For site visits, "travel expenses for a meeting to discuss State business" are those expenses that:

A)        are related to site visits necessary as part of a purchasing or product review process, satisfy subsections (b)(1)(A) and (C), and are disclosed in a monthly summary report to the agency ethics officer; or

B)        for purposes of satisfying the requirement of prior ethics officer approval, are travel, meals or lodging paid for by a prohibited source related to fundraising activities conducted by State university development officers or employees; are disclosed in a monthly summary report to the university ethics officer; and are reimbursable, whenever practicable, to the recipient officer's or employee's agency and not directly to the recipient officer or employee.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 12045, effective July 31, 2023)