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50 State Legislative Ethics and Lobbying Laws

Links to States' Legislative Ethics and Lobbying Laws

Updated March 2013

This page contains links to ethics and lobbying statutes for the 50 states. In some cases, links to legislative rules or state constitutions are provided. However, this is not a complete list of all state constitutional ethics provisions and all ethics legislative rules.

AL| AK| AZ| AR| CA| CO| CT| DE| FL| GA| HI| ID| IL| IN| IA| KS| KY| LA| ME| MD| MA| MI| MN| MS| MO| MT| NE| NV| NH| NJ| NM| NY| NC| ND| OH| OK| OR| PA| PR| RI| SC| SD| TN| TX| UT| VT| VI| VA| WA| WV| WI| WY

Alabama

Alabama Code: Code of Ethics for Public Officials, Employees, Etc. Title 36, Chapter 25.

Alaska

Alaska Statutes: Standards of Conduct, Title 24, Chapter 60.
For Regulation of Lobbying, Title 24, Chapter 45.

Arizona

Arizona Revised Statutes

Title 38 - Public Officers and Employees

For Conflict of Interest of Officers and Employees, scroll to Chapter 3, Conduct of Office; Article 8.
For Standards of Conduct for Members of the State Legislature, scroll to Chapter 3, Conduct of Office; Article 8.1.
For Standards for Financial Disclosure, scroll to Chapter 3.1.

Title 41 - State Government

For Registration and Regulation of Lobbyists, scroll to Chapter 7, Legislature; Article 8.1.

Arkansas

Arkansas Code

For Ethics and Conflict of Interest laws for legislators and lobbyists, scroll to Title 21, Public Officers and Employees, Chapter 8.

California

California Government Code

Conflict of Interest: Title 9 Chapter 7

General Prohibition

Disclosure

Ethics: Title 9 Chapter 9.5

Honoraria

Gifts

Travel

Lobbyists: Title 9 Chapter 6

Registration and Reporting

Prohibitions

Exemptions

Colorado

Colorado Revised Statutes

For Code of Ethics for Legislators: Title 24, Government-State; Administration; Article 18, Standards of Conduct; Part 1, Code of Ethics.
For Public Official Disclosure Law and Regulation of Lobbyists: Title 24, Government-State; Administration; Article 6, Colorado Sunshine Law; Part 2, Public Official Disclosure Law; Part 3, Regulation of Lobbyists.

Connecticut

Connecticut General Statutes

Code of Ethics. Title 1, Chapter 10 - §1-79 through 1-101.

Delaware

Delaware Code Annotated

Legislative Conflicts of Interest. Title 29, State Government; Chapter 10.
Laws Regulating the Conduct of Officers and Employees of the State. Title 29, State Government; Chapter 58.
- Code of Conduct. Subchapter I.
- Financial dislcosure. Subchapter II.
- Registration of lobbyists. Subchapter IV.

Florida

Florida Statutes

Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees. Title X, Chapter 112, Part III.
For lobbyist regulation, go to Legislative Organization, Procedures and Staffing, Title III, Chapter 11. Scroll to 11.045-11.062.

Georgia

Georgia Code

Code of Ethics for Government Service, Title 45, Public Officers and Employees, Chapter 10

For prohibited activities, go to 45-10-3.
For conflict of interest, go to 45-10-20 - 45-10-80.

Ethics in Government Act. Title 21, Elections; Chapter 5.

For powers of the state ethics commission, go to 21-5-6 and 21-5-7.
For honorarium restrictions, go to 21-5-11.
For financial disclosure requirements, go to 21-5-50 - 21-5-53.
For lobbyist regulation, go to 21-5-70 - 21-5-76.

Hawaii

Hawaii Revised Statutes

Standards of Conduct, Chapter 84.
Lobbyist Law, Chapter 97.

Idaho

Idaho Code

Ethics in Government. Title 59, Chapter 7.
Gifts to Public Servants by Persons Subject to their Jurisdiction. Title 18 Chapter 13.
Election Campaign Contributions and Expenditures --Lobbyists. Title 67, Chapter 66.

Illinois

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 420/, includes financial disclosure and ethical principles.
State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 430/, includes gift ban and ethics commission statutes.
Lobbyist Registration Act. 25 ILCS 170/

Indiana

Indiana Code

Legislative Ethics.Title 2, General Assembly; Article 2.1, Legislative Sessions and Procedures; Chapter 3
Bribery, Conflict of Interest, and Official Misconduct.Title 35, Criminal Law and Procedure; Article 44., Offenses Against Public Administration; Chapter 1.
Lobbyists. Title 2, General Assembly; Article 7. Also lobbying disclosure, under the same title and chaper.
Ethics and Conflicts of Interest. Title 4, State Offices and Administration; Article 2, State Officers Generally; Chapter 6. (In this section, the term "state officer" does not apply to legislator.)

Iowa

Iowa Code

Conflict of Interest of Public Officers and Employees. Title II, Subtitle 2, Chapter 68B.

Scroll to 68B.35 for financial disclosure.

Scroll to 68B.37 for lobbyist reporting and 68B.38 for lobbyist client reporting.

See also Iowa's Joint Legislative Rules on lobbying.

Kansas

Kansas Statutes

Gift restrictions are at 46-237 and 46-237a.
Financial disclosure requirements are at 46-239 and 46-247 - 46-252.
Nepotism restrictions are at 46-246a.
Lobbyist regulation is at 46-265 - 46-271.

Kentucky

Kentucky Revised Statutes

Chapter 6. Ethics laws are from 6.601-6.850.

For Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission, scroll to 6.651.
For Conduct of Legislators, scroll to 6.731.
For Financial Disclosure, scroll to 6.781.
For Legislative Lobbying, scroll to 6.801.

Chapter 11A. For Executive Agency Lobbying, scroll to 11A.201.

Louisiana

Louisiana Revised Statutes

Code of Governmental Ethics, Chapter 15 (42:1101 - 42:1170).
Lobbyist Disclosure Act (24:50 - 24:58.1).

Maine

Maine Revised Statutes Annotated

Governmental Ethics. Title 1, Chapter 25.
Lobbyist Disclosure Procedures. Title 3, Chapter 15.

Maryland

Maryland Code

For Public Ethics, §15-101 - 15-715, go to State Government; Title 15, Public Ethics.

Subtitle 5 is Conflict of Interest.

Subtitle 6 is Financial Disclosure.

Subtitle 7 is Lobbying regulations.

Massachusetts

General Laws of Massachusetts

Conduct of Public Officials and Employees, Chapter 268A.
For lobbyist regulation, go to Chapter 3, The General Court, and scroll to sections 39 through 50.

Michigan

Michigan Codified Laws

Chapter 15, Public Officers and Employees:

Conflict of Interest: Act 318 of 1968 (15.301-15.310).
Contracts of Public Servants with Public Entities: Act 317 of 1968 (15.322-15.330).
Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and Employees: Act 196 of 1973 (15.341-15.348).
Incompatible Public Offices: Act 566 of 1978 (15.181-15.185).

Chapter 4, Legislature

Lobbyists, Lobbying Agents, and Lobbying Activities: Act 472 of 1978 (4.411-4.431).

Minnesota

Minnesota Statutes

Legislator ethics and lobbyist regulation under Chapter 10A, Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure.

Mississippi

Mississippi Code

For Ethics in Government, scroll to Title 25, Public Officers and Employees, Public Records; Chapter 4, Ethics in Government.
For the Lobbying Law Reform Act of 1994, scroll to Title 5, Legislative Department; Chapter 8.

Missouri

Missouri Revised Statutes

Chapter 105, Public Officers and Employees - Miscellaneous Provisions

For Ethics Laws, scroll to 105.450 - 105.496.
Lobbyist laws start at 105.470.

Montana

Montana Code Annotated

Standards of Conduct. Title 2, Chapter 2.
Lobbying. Title 5, Chapter 7.

Nebraska

Nebraska Revised Statutes

Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act

Financial disclosure starts at 49-1493.
Lobbying regulations start at 49-1480.
Conflict of Interest starts at 49-1498.

Nevada

Nevada Revised Statutes

For Ethics in Government laws, go to Title 23, Public Officers and Employees; Chapter 281, General Provisions and scroll to NRS 281.411 through 281.581. See also Chapter 281A, Ethics in Government.
For Lobbying Disclosure laws, go to Title 17, State Legislative Department; Chapter 218H Lobbying.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Revised Statutes

Legislative Ethics Committee: Title 1, Chapter 14-B.
Lobbyist laws: Title 1, Chapter 15.
Financial Disclosure: Title 1, Chapter 15-A.
Gifts, Testimonials and Honorariums:Title 1, Chapter 15-B.
Ethics Guidelines and Procedural Rules, November 2012 Edition (New Hampshire's statutes give the Legislative Ethics Committee the authority to write ethics provisions, which include gift restrictions and conflict of interest measures, among others.)

New Jersey

New Jersey Statutes Annotated

Ethics Laws for legislators and lobbyists are at N.J.S.A. 52:13C.
Conflict of interest laws are at 52:13D.

To use New Jersey's system, scroll to Title 52. Click on the cross button to the left of the title to view all the sections in the title. Click on the arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen to view more sections. Do this until Section 52:13C is visible. This is the start of the state's legislative ethics laws. Scroll to 52:13D for Conflict of Interest law.

New Mexico

New Mexico Statutes Unannotated

Note that the term "public official" does not apply to legislators in New Mexico.

Governmental Conduct, Chapter 10; Article 16.
Financial Disclosures, Chapter 10; Article 16A.
Governmental Ethics Oversight Committee, Chapter 2; Article 15.
Lobbyist Regulation,Chapter 2; Article 11.

New York

New York State Consolidated Laws

Legislative Ethics Commission: Consolidated Laws, Legislative (LEG), Article 5.
Powers and Duties of Public Officers: Consolidated Laws, Public Officers (PBO), Article 4.
- For Financial Disclosure scroll to 73a.
- For Code of Ethics, scroll to 74.
- For Bribery, scroll to section 75.
Lobbying Act: Consolidated Laws, Legislative (LEG), Article 1-A

North Carolina

North Carolina General Statutes

State Government Ethics Act: Chapter 138A.
Lobbying Act: Chapter 120C.

North Dakota

North Dakota Century Code

Statements of Economic Interest: Title 16.1, Elections, chapter 16.1-09.
For Legislative Lobbying, go to Title 54, State Government, and scroll to chapter 54-05 and 54-05.1.

Ohio

Ohio Revised Code

Public Officers Ethics: Title 1, State Government; Chapter 102.
Legislative Lobbying: Title 1, State Government; Chapter 101, General Assembly; 101.70-101.79.
Retirement System Lobbying: Title 1, State Government; Chapter 101 General Assembly; 101.90-101.99.
Executive Agency Lobbying: Title 1, State Government; Chapter 121, State Departments; 121.60-121.69.

Oklahoma

Laws governing the Ethics Commission, the conduct of state officers and state employees, and related statutes requiring lobbyist registration, fees, etc. include, but are not limited to, the following:

In the Oklahoma Constitution, found on the Oklahoma Legislatures's Web site: Ethics Rules, Ethics Commission and Criminal Penalties, click on Article XXIX, Ethics Commission.
In the Oklahoma Statutes:
- Title 17, Section 48;
- Title 21, Sections 308 334, 360 and 463; Sec 1840
- Title 68, Section 2358.3;
- Chapter 62--statutes governing lobbying registration and activities [Sections 4249 through 4255 of the Oklahoma Statutes];
- and Chapter 62--Appendix: Title 257. Ethics Commission [Section 257:1-1-1 et seq. of the Rules of the Ethics Commission, 74 Oklahoma Statutes, Chapter 62, Appendix] [the “Rules”].

Oklahoma Statutes

A document from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission compiles much of the above.

Oregon

Oregon Revised Statutes

For Ethics laws for legislators go to Chapter 244, Government Standards and Practices.
- Financial Disclosure begins at 244.050.
- Conflict of Interest begins at 244.120.
- Ethics Commission begins at 244.250.
- Enforcement begins at 244.350.
For Lobbying regulations to to Chapter 171, Legislature. Scroll to 171.725.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

Title 65 Pa.C.S.A. Public Officers, Chapter 11, Ethics Standards and Financial Disclosure.
Title 65 Pa.C.S.A. Public Officers, Chapter 13A, Lobby Regulation and Disclosure.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island General Laws

Code of Ethics for legislators index. Chapter 36-14.
- Prohibited activities are at 36-14-5.
- Conflict of interest is at 36-14-6.
- Contents of Financial disclosure statements at 36-14-17. Other financial disclosure is 36-14-16 to -19.
Lobbying index: Chapter 22-10.
- Financial reports are at 22-10-9.

South Carolina

South Carolina Code

Ethics, Government Accountability, and Campaign Reform. Title 8, Chapter 13.
- For Rules of Conduct, scroll to section 8-13-700.
- Disclosure of Economic Interest begins at 8-13-1110.
- Penalties begin at 8-13-1510.
Lobbyists and Lobbying. Title 2, Chapter 17

South Dakota

South Dakota Codified Laws

Lobbyists, Chapter 2-12.
Personal Financial Disclosure for public officers, Chapter 3-1A.
Malfeacance, Misfeasance and Nonfeasance in Office, Chapter 3-16.

Tennessee

Tennessee Code Annotated

Title 3, Legislature, Chapter 6 Ethics and Lobbying.

Texas

Texas Government Code

For the Texas Ethics Commission, scroll to Chapter 571.
For Personal Financial Disclosure, Standards of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest scroll to Chapter 572.
For Registration of Lobbyists, scroll to Chapter 305.

Utah

Utah Code

Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act, Title 36, Chapter 11.
Legislative Conflict of Interest, Title 36, Chapter 19.
Prohibiting Employment of Relatives, Title 52, Chapter 03.
Offenses Against Administration of the Government, Title 76, Chapter 8
- For bribery, go to 76-8-105.
- For alteration of legislation, go to 76-8-107 and 76-8-108.
- For failure of a legislator to disclose interest in a bill, go to 76-8-109.

See also Joint Legislative Rules. Joint ethics rules are at Title 6, Chapter 1 through 5.

Vermont

Vermont Statutes Annotated

For Registration of Lobbyists, go to Title 2, Chapter 11.

Virginia

Code of Virginia

The General Assembly Conflicts of Interest Act, Title 30, Chapter 13, Section 100-129.
Lobbying laws begin at Title 2.2, Administration of Government; Chapter 4, Section 2.2-422.

Washington

Revised Code of Washington

Ethics in Public Service, Chapter 42.52.
Disclosure, Campaign Finances, Lobbying, Records, Chapter 42.17A.

West Virginia

West Virginia Code

Public Officers and Employees, Ethics, Conflict of Interest, Financial Disclosure, Chapter 6B.

Ethics Commission powers and duties begin at Article 2.

Lobbyist laws begin at Article 3.

Ethical standards for elected and appointed officials and public employees are at 6B-2-5.

Financial disclosure requirements begin at 6B-2-6.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Statutes

General Duties of Public Officials. For Code of Ethics for Public Officials and Employees, scroll to Chapter 19 and view statutes 19.41 to 19.59.
- Financial disclosure begins at 19.43.
- Conflict of interest prohibition is at 19.46.
- Honorariums are discussed at 19.56.
For Regulation of Lobbying, go to Chapter 13, Legislative Branch. Scroll to Subchapter III, 13.61 to 13.75.