PRINTER'S NO. 3154
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1979
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY KIRKLAND, DERMODY, HANNA, YOUNGBLOOD, STURLA,
FRANKEL, MARKOSEK, PETRARCA, McNEILL, BULLOCK, DeLUCA, DEAN,
GIBBONS, O'BRIEN, MACKENZIE, MULLERY, KINSEY, TRUITT,
D. COSTA, COOK-ARTIS, SANTARSIERO AND DAVIS, APRIL 11, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 11, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in ethics standards and financial
disclosure, providing for financial interest and divestiture.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 1103.1. Financial interest and divestiture.
(a) Certain financial interests prohibited.--Except as may
be provided for the judiciary by rule or order of the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court, a public official or an immediate
family member of a public official may not intentionally or
knowingly hold a financial interest in an entity that is a party
to a contract valued at more than $2,500 to provide goods or
services to a municipality within the jurisdiction of the public
official's public office.
(b) Divesting financial interest.--A public official or an
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immediate family member of a public official who holds a
financial interest under subsection (a) shall divest the
financial interest as follows:
(1) If the financial interest exists at the time of the
effective date of this subsection, the divestiture shall
occur within three months of the effective date of this
subsection.
(2) If the financial interest occurs on or after the
effective date of this subsection, the divestiture shall
occur within 30 days after the public official or immediate
family member of the public official knows or has reason to
know of the need to divest the financial interest.
(c) Extension of time period.--For good cause shown, the
commission may extend the time period for divestiture under
subsection (b).
(d) Grading.--An individual who violates this section
commits a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced
to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 or to imprisonment for not
more than one year, or both.
(e) Definition.--Notwithstanding the definition of
"immediate family" in section 1102 (relating to definitions), as
used in this section, the term "immediate family" shall mean a
spouse, minor child or unemancipated child.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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