Ethics

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on what constitutes a 'related entity' or how intertwined business or political activities need to be.

Ethics Rules Update

This bill changes ethics rules to prohibit certain indirect gifts to political candidates and officials from entities related to lobbyists' employers and requires the governor and top state officers to report travel expenses paid by people with interests in state policies.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a rule that an indirect gift includes one provided by an entity related to, and intertwined with, the employer of a lobbyist, which is not allowed for political candidates, certain officials, and their family members.
• Requires the governor and high-level state officers to disclose travel expenses paid on behalf of them by individuals or entities with interests in public policies if the travel was intended to inform or advise about those policies.

Who It Names or Affects

• Political candidates
• Certain state officials
• Lobbyists' employers and related entities

Terms To Know

Indirect gift

A present given through someone else, not directly to the person it's meant for.

Travel expenses

Money spent on trips, like hotels and flights.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify exactly what counts as a 'related entity' or how intertwined business or political activities need to be.
• It's unclear if the travel expense reporting rule applies only when the trip is about state policies or for any kind of travel.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

HOUSE BILL 82
By Hemmer

HB0082
001199
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3,
Chapter 6 and Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 5, relative
to ethics.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 3-6-305(a)(2), is amended by adding
the following new sentence at the end of the subdivision:
An indirect gift includes a gift provided by an entity that is related to, and its business or
political activities intertwined with, the employer of a lobbyist.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-50-502(5), is amended by
redesignating the subdivision as subdivision (5)(A) and adding the following new subdivision
(5)(B):
(B) By the governor or an officer of the governor's cabinet, the amount and
source, by name, of any travel expenses, including any expenses incidental to such
travel, paid on behalf of the governor or officer by a person with an interest in a public
policy of this state if the travel was for the purpose of informing or advising the governor
or officer with respect to the public policy. Travel expenses do not include expenses for
travel, if such expenses are paid for or reimbursed by a governmental entity or an
established and recognized organization of elected or appointed state government
officials, staff of state government officials, or both officials and staff, or any other
established and recognized organization that is an umbrella organization for such
officials, staff, or both officials and staff;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.