Title 65, PUBLIC OFFICERS

In all meetings of agencies, the vote of each member who actually votes on any resolution, rule, order, regulation, ordinance or the setting of official policy must be publicly cast and, in the case of roll call votes, recorded.

Written minutes shall be kept of all open meetings of agencies. The minutes shall include: (1) The date, time and place of the meeting. (2) The names of members present. (3) The substance of all official actions and a record by individual member of the roll call votes taken. (4) …

(a) Executive session.--An agency may hold an executive session under section 708 (relating to executive sessions). (b) Conference.--An agency is authorized to participate in a conference which need not be open to the public. Deliberation of agency business may not occur at a con…

(a) Purpose.--An agency may hold an executive session for one or more of the following reasons: (1) To discuss any matter involving the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of performance, promotion or disciplining of …

(a) Meetings.--An agency shall give public notice of its first regular meeting of each calendar or fiscal year not less than three days in advance of the meeting and shall give public notice of the schedule of its remaining regular meetings. An agency shall give public notice of …

Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the agency from adopting by official action the rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of its meetings and the maintenance of order. The rules and regulations shall not be made to violate the intent of this chapter. Cross References…

(a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (d), the board or council of a political subdivision or of an authority created by a political subdivision shall provide a reasonable opportunity at each advertised regular meeting and advertised special meeting for residents of…

(a) Recording devices.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a person attending a meeting of an agency shall have the right to use recording devices to record all the proceedings. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the agency from adopting and enforcing reasonable rules for …

Notwithstanding any other provision, for the purpose of this chapter, meetings of the General Assembly which are covered are as follows: all meetings of committees where bills are considered, all hearings where testimony is taken and all sessions of the Senate and the House of Re…

(a) Official action.--Except as provided in subsection (b), (c), (d) or (e), an agency may not take official action on a matter of agency business at a meeting if the matter was not included in the notification required under section 709(c.1) (relating to public notice). (b) Emer…

A legal challenge under this chapter shall be filed within 30 days from the date of a meeting which is open, or within 30 days from the discovery of any action that occurred at a meeting which was not open at which this chapter was violated, provided that, in the case of a meetin…

(a) Fines and costs.--Any member of any agency who participates in a meeting with the intent and purpose by that member of violating this chapter commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay: (1) For a first offense, the costs of prosecution plus a fi…

If the court determines that an agency willfully or with wanton disregard violated a provision of this chapter, in whole or in part, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney fees and costs of litigation or an appropriate portion of the fees and costs. If the…

The Commonwealth Court shall have original jurisdiction of actions involving State agencies and the courts of common pleas shall have original jurisdiction of actions involving other agencies to render declaratory judgments or to enforce this chapter by injunction or other remedy…

All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are inconsistent with this chapter, excepting those statutes which specifically provide for the confidentiality of information. Those deliberations or official actions which, if conducted in public, would violate a lawful pr…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act.

(a) Declarations.--The Legislature hereby declares that public office is a public trust and that any effort to realize personal financial gain through public office other than compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust. In order to strengthen the faith and confiden…

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section: "Advice." Any directive of the chief counsel of the State Ethics Commission issued under section 1107(11) (relating to…

(a) Conflict of interest.--No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. (b) Seeking improper influence.--No person shall offer or give to a public official, public employee or nominee or candidate for public office or a me…

(a) Public official or public employee.--Each public official of the Commonwealth shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the commission no later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he leaves such …

(a) Form.--The statement of financial interests filed pursuant to this chapter shall be on a form prescribed by the commission. All information requested on the statement shall be provided to the best of the knowledge, information and belief of the person required to file and sha…

(a) Continuation of commission.--The State Ethics Commission established under the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.883, No.170), referred to as the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law, is continued and shall be composed of seven members. The President pro tempore of the Senate, t…

In addition to other powers and duties prescribed by law, the commission shall: (1) Prescribe and publish rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (2) Prescribe forms for statements and reports required to be filed by this chapter and furnish such forms …

(a) Preliminary inquiry.--Upon a complaint signed under penalty of perjury by any person or upon its own motion, the commission, through its executive director, shall conduct a preliminary inquiry into any alleged violation of this chapter. The commission shall keep information, …

(a) Restricted activities violation.--Any person who violates the provisions of section 1103(a), (b) and (c) (relating to restricted activities) commits a felony and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for not more than f…

(a) Liability.--A person who signs a complaint alleging a violation of this chapter against another is subject to liability for wrongful use of this chapter if: (1) the complaint was frivolous, as defined by this chapter, or without probable cause and made primarily for a purpose…

Any governmental body may adopt requirements to supplement this chapter, provided that no such requirements shall in any way be less restrictive than the chapter.

Except as otherwise provided in Chapter 13 (relating to lobby regulation and disclosure), if the provisions of this chapter conflict with any other statute, ordinance, regulation or rule, the provisions of this chapter shall control. References in Text. Chapter 13, referred to in…

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this chapter and the application of such provisions to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

This chapter relates to lobbying disclosure.

(a) Intent.--The Constitution of Pennsylvania recognizes that all free governments are founded upon the authority of the people. It further provides that the power to make law in this Commonwealth is vested in the General Assembly, and the power to enforce law is vested in the Ex…

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Administrative action." Any of the following: (1) An agency's: (i) proposal, consideration, promulgation or rescission …

(a) General rule.--Unless excluded under section 13A06 (relating to exemption from registration and reporting), a lobbyist, lobbying firm or a principal must register with the department electronically using the computerized filing system developed by the department that is consi…

(a) General rule.--A registered principal shall, subject to the penalties under 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities), file quarterly expense reports with the department electronically using the computerized filing system developed by the department…

The following persons and activities shall be exempt from registration under section 13A04 (relating to registration) and reporting under section 13A05 (relating to reporting): (1) An individual who limits lobbying to preparing testimony and testifying before a committee of the G…

(a) Political committees.--A lobbyist may not serve as a treasurer or other officer who must be included in a registration statement under section 1624(b)(2) and (3) of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, for a candidate's politica…

(a) Advice and opinions.--The commission shall provide advice and opinions under section 1107 (relating to powers and duties of commission) to a lobbyist, a lobbying firm, a principal, the department, the board or a State official or employee, that seeks advice regarding complian…

(a) Notice of alleged noncompliance.-- (1) The commission shall issue a notice of alleged noncompliance to a person that has failed to register or report as required by this chapter. (1.1) In the case of a principal or lobbying firm, the notice shall be delivered to the authorize…

(a) Registration fees.--At the time of registration, a person required to be registered under this chapter shall pay a biennial registration fee of $100 to the department. (b) Fund.-- (1) The Lobbying Disclosure Fund is established as a special fund in the State Treasury. (2) Mon…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect 18 Pa.C.S. § 7515 (relating to contingent compensation).