Researcher: LRH Page 1 4/15/24
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 434
AN ACT INCREASING VARIOUS MONETARY THRESHOLDS
UNDER THE STATE CODES OF ETHICS.
SUMMARY
The state codes of ethics generally prohibit public officials,
candidates, and state employees from soliciting or accepting (and
lobbyists from giving) various gifts if they are worth more than a certain
amount. The codes also impose various prohibitions, requirements, and
other conditions on certain items and actions if are worth more than a
certain amount.
This bill increases these financial thresholds in the state codes of
ethics as shown in the table below. More specifically, it increases the
thresholds that determine whether (1) something is a gift subject to
various prohibitions under the codes and (2) other various prohibitions,
requirements, and conditions apply to an item or action (e.g., the
minimum value of an expenditure that must be reported on client
lobbyist registrant financial reports).
Table: Financial Thresholds Under Current Law and the Bill
Current Financial Threshold Threshold Under the Bill
$10 $20
30 60
50 100
100 250
1,000 1,500
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2024
§§ 1 & 5 — GIFTS
The bill increases the value thresholds that determine whether
something is a “gift” subject to various prohibitions under the Code of 2024SB-00434-R000485-BA.DOCX
Researcher: LRH Page 2 4/15/24
Ethics for Public Officials (§ 1) or the Code of Ethics for Lobbyists (§ 5).
For example, the code for public officials generally prohibits public
officials and state employees from (1) accepting a gift based on any
understanding that their vote, official action, or judgment would be
influenced by it (CGS § 1-84(g)); (2) knowingly accepting a gift from a
known registered lobbyist (CGS § 1-84(j)); or (3) knowingly accepting a
gift from someone who the official or employee knows is seeking to do
business with their department or agency (CGS § 1-84(m)). The code for
lobbyists similarly prohibits registered lobbyists from knowingly giving
a gift to a state employee or public official (CGS § 1-97(a)).
The table below shows a brief description of the covered gift and its
value threshold under current law and the bill for determining whether
it is exempted under the codes.
Table: Exempted Gift Thresholds Under Current Law and the Bill
Gift Current Exempted
Gift Value
Exempted Gift Value
Under the Bill
Certificate, plaque, or other ceremonial
award
Less than $100 Less than $250
Food and beverages per recipient, per
year, consumed at an occasion attended
by the person paying for the food and
beverages
Less than $50 Less than $100
Food and beverages per person
consumed at a publicly noticed
legislative reception for all legislators, or
those from a particular state region,
hosted once per year by a lobbyist or
business organization
Less than $50 Less than $100
Gifts, including food and beverages, from
someone who is not a family member to
celebrate a major life event
$1,000 or less $1,500 or less
Total gifts or food and beverages
provided at a hospitality suite at a
meeting or conference of an interstate
legislative association, by someone who
is not a registered lobbyists or doing
business with Connecticut
Less than $100 Less than $250
Anything with a certain value Less than $10 for
individual items and
less than $50 total
Less than $20 for
individual items and
less than $100 total 2024SB-00434-R000485-BA.DOCX
Researcher: LRH Page 3 4/15/24
Gift Current Exempted
Gift Value
Exempted Gift Value
Under the Bill
value for all things
provided by a donor to
a recipient in a
calendar year
value for all things
provided by a donor to
a recipient in a
calendar year
§§ 2-11 — OTHER PROH IBITIONS, REQUIREMEN TS, AND
CONDITIONS
The bill also increases the financial thresholds that trigger various
prohibitions, requirements, or other additional conditions. These
include, for example, the value of a contract that a public official cannot
enter into without an open and public process, or expenditure amounts
that trigger certain reporting requirements. The table below shows the
bill’s threshold increases and a brief description of the provision it
applies to.
Table: Thresholds for Other Prohibitions, Requirements, and Conditions
Bill
Section
Threshold Increase
Under the Bill
Provision
2 From at least $100 to
at least $250
The value of most contracts that public officials and
state employees (and members of their immediate
families and associated businesses) cannot enter
unless it was awarded through an open and public
process
3 From at least $10 to at
least $20
The value of anything given to a public official or
state employee that must be reported if it was given
by a person (1) doing business, or seeking to, with
the official’s or employee’s agency or (2) engaged in
activities regulated by the agency
4 From at least $50 to at
least $100
The annual cost of an “expenditure” under the code
for lobbyists if it is (1) paid communications on
pending administrative or legislative action or (2)
solicitations of another person to communicate with
public officials or state employees to influence a
legislative or administrative act (by law, expenditures
are subject to various reporting requirements (e.g.,
CGS § 1-96))
6 From less than $50 to
less than $100
The amount that someone may spend to benefit a
public official in the legislative or executive branch
without being considered a lobbyist (as long as they
are not paid or reimbursed specifically for lobbying
and spend five hours or less lobbying) 2024SB-00434-R000485-BA.DOCX
Researcher: LRH Page 4 4/15/24
Bill
Section
Threshold Increase
Under the Bill
Provision
7 From up to $100 to up
to $250
The monthly amount that a client lobbyist registrant
that attempts to influence legislative action may
spend or agree to spend for lobbying without having
to file an interim monthly report on its lobbying
activities during regular legislative session
8 From at least $10 to at
least $20
The value of each expenditure per person to benefit
a legislative or executive branch public official that
must be reported on client lobbyist registrant financial
reports
8 From less than $30 to
less than $60
The amount of expenditures per person that do not
have to be reported if they (1) benefit General
Assembly members at an event open to all legislators
or members of a particular region or (2) are
personally and directly received by a public official or
state employee at a charitable or civic event where
they participate in their official capacity
9 From at least $10 to at
least $20
The amount of each expenditure to benefit a public
official that a former registrant must report if it occurs
within six months after the end of their registration
10 From at least $10 to at
least $20
The value of each expenditure to benefit a public
official for which registrants must keep records for
three years
10 From at least $50 to at
least $100
The value of all other expenditures for which
registrants must keep records for three years
11 From at least $10 to at
least $20
The amount a registrant paid or reimbursed to a
public official or state employee that triggers a
requirement to file a statement with the Office of
State Ethics
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 19 Nay 0 (03/26/2024)