Source: http://elections.wi.gov/taxonomy/term/32?page=1
Timestamp: 2016-10-23 06:10:23
Document Index: 654969233

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\n19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19']

1993 Wis Eth Bd 05 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE; INFLUENCING OFFICIAL JUDGMENT; LEGISLATORS; REPRESENTATION OF CLIENTS.
A legislator should not accept payment for consulting work if the legislator’s
firm is being retained because he or she holds a position as a legislator, as
opposed to simply having desirable political experience and insight. §§
19.45(2) and 19.46(1)(b), Wisconsin Statutes.*
1997 Wis Eth Bd 01 - DISQUALIFICATION; IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a legislator not advocate for, or participate in
discussions, deliberations, or votes on funding a state contract with a
foundation in which the legislator’s spouse is executive director. If the
biennial budget appropriates money to the foundation, the legislator may
participate in debate, discussion, and voting on all other budget issues, and
vote on the budget itself.
2004 Wis Eth Bd 01 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
You have asked how a charitable Foundation may supplement the
salary of the Director of a state agency whose work the Foundation raises
funds to support. Supplementing the Director’s salary is precisely what the
Foundation should not do. Wisconsin Statutes declare as a felony a public
official’s or employee’s acceptance “for the performance of any service or duty
anything of value which the officer or employee knows is greater or less than
1992 Wis Eth Bd 04 - MEALS, LODGING, TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT
A state public official may attend a dinner to which the official has been
invited because of his or her public position if attendance is primarily for the
benefit of the state and not for private benefit. OEB 92-4
1998 Wis Eth Bd 01 - LOCAL CODE
that a member of a municipality’s governing body who lives in an
unsewered subdivision may, consistent with §19.59, Wisconsin
Statutes, participate in a decision whether to require the
extension of water and sewer service to all existing and future
development in the municipality.
2002 Wis Eth Bd 02 - LOCAL OFFICIALS – DISQUALIFICATION
The Ethics Board advises that :
1) Under §19.59, Wisconsin Statutes, the village trustee whose property
abuts the property that is the subject of the company’s rezoning
petition, and who is an employee of the company, should not participate
in discussion, debate, or votes on the petition;
1992 Wis Eth Bd 28 - LOCAL CODE - DISQUALIFICATION; LOCAL CODE - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
A village engineer should not act in an official capacity with respect to the
review of plans the engineer has prepared in a private capacity or submitted
by developers with which the village engineer is associated.
OEB 92-28
1996 Wis Eth Bd 11 - SOLICITATION
A state agency, pursuant to provisions of the Wisconsin Statutes, that has
created a specific program that permits the agency to solicit and accept funds
from a business engaged in a project that is part of the program, may solicit
and accept financial and other contributions from a business that is
participating in a project to which the funds will be applied, even if the
business is likely to be substantially affected by statutes and rules the agency
administers and enforces and employs a lobbyist.
OEB 96-11 (July 31, 1996)
1998 Wis Eth Bd 16 - LOCAL CODE - JURISDICTION
The Ethics Board advises that §19.59, Wisconsin Statutes, does not empower
a county to amend its ethics code to require officials and employees whose
duties involve oversight, regulation, or reporting with respect to campaigns
for county office to identify the campaigns in which the official or employee is
involved, together with a description of the involvement.
(November 27,1998)
2003 Wis Eth Bd 11 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a state public official may proceed with a plan
to have another solicit assistance for operation of the official’s agency to the
extent, but only to the extent, that the official could undertake the
solicitation directly. Whether directly or through another acting at the
official’s behest, the official may not solicit contributions of money, goods or
service either from a lobbyist or from an organization that employs a lobbyist
1994 Wis Eth Bd 04 - LOCAL CODE; DISQUALIFICATION; EMPLOYMENT CONFLICTING WITH OFFICIAL DUTIES; IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a member of a city council that is a negotiator
for a labor union in other municipalities should not participate in any official
discussions or vote on the Union's contract with the city on whose council the
member serves; should not use any information not available to the public,
derived from the council member's holding public office, to benefit the Union
in other municipalities; and should not be present during closed sessions in
which labor negotiations with the Union are being discussed.
1992 Wis Eth Bd 18 - LEGISLATORS; OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS
Statutes administered by the Ethics Board do not restrict a legislator’s service
as a member of a corporation’s board of directors, even for pay, as long as
the legislator is asked to serve for reasons independent of and unrelated to
holding state office. If the legislator is asked to serve because of membership
in the legislature, or if the corporation should employ a lobbyist at any time,
then the legislator may continue to serve but may not accept any fees or
compensation for the service. OEB 92-18
1995 Wis Eth Bd 07 - BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND AGENCIES; INFLUENCING OFFICIAL JUDGMENT; SOLICITATION
Neither the lobbying law nor Ethics Code applies to every state agency
employee. However, state employees are likely to report to, and act at the
direction of, individuals subject to one or both of these statutes. Therefore,
the Ethics Board advises that an agency may solicit and accept money from
others to cover administrative expenses for its project as long as (1)
individuals, businesses and organizations that are solicited for, or who make,
contributions are not likely to be substantially affected by statutes and rules
1998 Wis Eth Bd 09 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a legislator and spouse may accept the offer of
free membership in a not-for-profit organization that is not a lobbying
principal as long as there is no benefit from membership apart from receiving
the organization’s newsletter and membership cards of unexceptional value.
2003 Wis Eth Bd 04 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
Laws administered by the Ethics Board are not an impediment to the
Legislature’s reimbursing a legislator for costs the legislator incurred to
purchase supplies for his or her legislative office.
1993 Wis Eth Bd 07 - STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS
Section 19.44(1)(a), Wisconsin Statutes, requires a state public official who is
a lawyer to identify on the individual’s Statement of Economic Interests those
clients of the individual’s law firm for which the individual provides
representation in dealings with third parties or for which the individual is
authorized to act as part of overall supervisory responsibility for the firm's
providing those services. An official need not identify clients of the official’s
1997 Wis Eth Bd 02 - BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND AGENCIES; IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a state public official associated with a state
agency (1) not invest in a privately owned company unless the investment
opportunity has been offered independent of the official’s public position and
(2) not use information gained through the official’s public position, that is
not available to the public, or has not been made public, as a substantial
basis for the official’s personal investment in a privately owned company.
1992 Wis Eth Bd 07 - MEALS, LODGING, TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT
A state public official may participate in a tour on which the official is invited
because of his or her public position if it is primarily for the benefit of the
state and not for private benefit. OEB 92-7
1995 Wis Eth Bd 01 - BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND AGENCIES; DISQUALIFICATION; IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
A member of an agency governing body who would receive an allocation of business opportunities regulated by the agency, whose spouse would receive an allocation, or whose business would use an allocation under a proposed rule should not participate, in an official capacity, in the rulemaking, even though, by statute, some members of the agency governing body must be active in the regulated business. OEB 95-1 (January 31, 1995)
2002 Wis Eth Bd 04 - LOCAL CODE – DISQUALIFICATION
If a county’s contract with a union will provide a significant precedent for a
union contract in which a county board supervisor has a personal financial
interest, then the supervisor should not participate in negotiations,
discussions or votes on the former. If the effect of the county’s contract on the
contract covering the supervisor is merely conjectural or inconsequential, the
supervisor may participate in decisions concerning that contract.
2005 Wis Eth Bd 02 - LOCAL CODE -- DISQUALIFICATION
1) That the retired teacher who is a member of the school district’s board of education should not vote on the resolution that would establish, for the 2005-2006 budget, revenue assumptions and a supporting tax levy if that is likely to affect the health benefits the member receives; but
2) That the retired teacher who is a member of the school district’s board of education may vote Read more
2007 Wis Eth Bd 12 - GIFTS; IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a legislator or legislative employee may accept
from a state agency a chance to win a gift card valued at $25 to $30 for
responding to a survey the agency conducted.
2005 Wis Eth Bd 03 - PUBLIC CONTRACTS
The Board advises:
1) That you notify the Ethics Board and the appropriate state agency before entering a contract with a local Wisconsin government in which the local government is acting as the state’s agent; and
2) You need not provide notification to anyone if the contract is paid from shared revenues or other funds the state provides the local government over which the state has ceded control.
2007 Wis Eth Bd 04 - POST EMPLOYMENT
The Ethics Board advises that, because a former agency head did not
participate in a proceeding, contract, claim, or charge involving the legality of a
company’s business practice, the Ethics Code does not restrict the former
official’s accepting compensation for preparing to testify about the agency’s
determination that the company’s business practice did not violate Wisconsin
2007 Wis Eth Bd 13 - POST EMPLOYMENT
A former state official may not for compensation act on behalf of an organization
other than the State of Wisconsin in connection with a federal agency’s resolution
of a matter in which the official personally and substantially participated in
negotiations on behalf of the official’s former agency to resolve the matter. This
is so even if the official redirects the compensation or the compensation is paid
directly to the official’s employer or to any other individual or organization.
2005 Wis Eth Bd 04 - LOCAL CODE
1. A school board member, who is a retiree of the district, should not take
any vote on the budget if resolution of the matter is likely to affect the level
of health insurance premiums the school district will contribute to retirees.
2. The school board member may vote on a budget matter if any effect on
the member’s health benefits is remote and speculative.
2007 Wis Eth Bd 05 - DISQUALIFICATION
The Ethics Board advises that a legislator not participate in any
discussions, debate, or votes on a proposed budget provision that would provide
tax credits totaling several million dollars to each of only a handful of businesses
in Wisconsin and the value of the credits to the legislator’s family could be as
much as several thousand dollars. If the proposal is incorporated in the budget,
it will not be an obstacle to the legislator’s participation in the consideration of
other budget provisions or the budget as a whole.
2006 Wis Eth Bd 05 - GIFTS
In determining whether a gift is of “substantial value,” the Ethics Board
looks at the totality of the circumstances.* Here, the value of the gifts is small in
comparison to the time you devoted to the two organizations, the sentimental
value of the gifts is greater than their monetary value, and the gifts are, in
essence, commemorative in nature. In these circumstances, we conclude that
the gifts are not of “substantial value” as that term is used in the Ethics Code,
and you may keep them.
2005 Wis Eth Bd 05 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
The Ethics Board advises that a board member of an institution of higher education
whose spouse is employed as a teacher by the institution:
2006 Wis Eth Bd 06 - FEES & HONORARIUMS; GIFTS
Wisconsin law [§19.56 (1), Wisconsin Statutes] encourages you to
address groups about legislative, administrative, executive or judicial processes
and proposals and issues initiated by or affecting a department or the judicial
branch and to accept reasonable compensation from the sponsor when you do.
The bookends offered are well within the ambit of reasonable compensation. If
your address can be appropriately characterized as meeting the subject matter
2008 Wis Eth Bd 01 - REPRESENTATION OF CLIENTS
1) A legislator may represent clients in criminal matters unless the Department of
Justice, rather than a district attorney, is prosecuting the matter but the legislator
should account for whether such representation will undermine citizen confidence
2005 Wis Eth Bd 09 - FEES AND HONORARIUMS
The Ethics Board advises that a crystal bowl, valued at $125, is reasonable
compensation for an elected official who spent eight to nine hours preparing a
talk and presented a keynote address related to state government issues to an
2007 Wis Eth Bd 01 - MEALS, LODGING, TRAVEL, & ENTERTAINMENT
You ask whether laws administered by the Ethics Board restrict your
acceptance of a trip to a foreign country jointly sponsored by organizations
whose purposes include fostering better relationships between that country and
the United States and fostering understanding, harmony, and cooperation among
different religious traditions. You have indicated that you would be meeting with
cultural groups and public officials, both to learn about the diverse cultures in the
foreign country and potentially to develop cultural exchanges with that country.
2005 Wis Eth Bd 10 - MEALS, LODGING, TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT
The Ethics Board advises that state agency may accept funds from private
sources to be used to reimburse a state official’s travel expenses incurred by the
official while engaged in official duties.
2007 Wis Eth Bd 09 - LOCAL OFFICIALS -- DISQUALIFICATION
(1) If a matter before a town board, is reasonably likely to have more than a
trivial, insignificant, or insubstantial financial effect on a supervisor, then
the supervisor SHOULD ABSTAIN from discussion, deliberation, and votes
2007 Wis Eth Bd 02 - DISQUALIFICATION
The Ethics Board has no basis for believing that the bill will promote your
business’s sale of items. If our understanding is correct, then:
• your action on the bill will not result in a substantial benefit for your
business [§19. 45 (2)];
• your business does not have a substantial financial interest in the bill [§19.
46 (1) (a)]; and
2006 Wis Eth Bd 01 - LOCAL CODE
Whether a member of a school board may serve as an unpaid coach in the
school district is primarily a question of compatibility of offices. Generally, the
Ethics Code prohibits a member of a school board to use his or her position to
obtain a position as an employee in, or a contract with, the school district.
2007 Wis Eth Bd 10 - DISQUALIFICATION
The provision of the Ethics Code most pertinent to your inquiry is §19.46
(1) (a), Wisconsin Statutes. That section provides, in relevant part, that a state
government official may take no official action substantially affecting a matter in
which the official or the official’s spouse has a substantial financial interest.1 The
statute pertains regardless of whether an official is party to a marital property
agreement that provides for the separation of the official’s and spouse’s income.
2007 Wis Eth Bd 03 - DISQUALIFICATION
The Ethics Code is unlikely to be an obstacle to a legislator’s participation
in the discussion, deliberation, or votes on a bill that would create a tax incentive
for individuals who purchase a commodity that can use a product manufactured
by a company in which the legislator owns a small number of shares of stock
when there is no basis to believe there will be a substantial financial affect on the
legislator’s interest.
2006 Wis Eth Bd 03 - IMPROPER USE OF OFFICE
A legislator should not take official action that has a fiscal effect on a private
organization on whose board of directors the legislator serves unless the
legislator’s appointment to the organization’s board were pursuant to a statute, a
resolution of the Legislature, or a condition imposed by the State of Wisconsin
that established the legislator’s role as an agent of our state’s government representing
governmental interests, not the separate interests of the organization.