2014 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 74E. Ethics Rules
Rule 4.7. State Officer Impartiality.

In the event a state officer or employee knows that a particular matter involving specific parties is likely to have a direct and predictable effect on the material financial interests (1) of the state officer or employee or (2) of his or her family member, or (3) if the state officer or employee knows that a person with whom he or she has a business relationship other than a routine consumer transaction is a party to or represents a party to such matter, and where the state officer or employee determines that the circumstances would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question his or her impartiality in the matter, the state officer or employee shall not participate in the matter unless he or she is required to do so by law or permitted to do so by these Rules. This provision shall not apply when the effect of the matter applies equally to all members of a profession, occupation or large class. In considering whether a relationship would cause a reasonable person to question his or her impartiality, the state officer or employee may seek the advice of the Commission. The Commission may exercise discretion in determining whether or not to provide such advice or may delegate responsibility to the Executive Director to provide such advice. Such advice, if given by the Commission or the Executive Director, shall bind the Commission. Failure to seek such advice shall have no relevance in any subsequent proceeding involving that individual. A particular matter will have a direct and predictable effect on a material financial interest if there is a close causal link between any decision or action to be taken in the matter and any expected effect of the matter on the material financial interest, even though the effect is not immediate. It shall not apply to a chain of causation if it is attenuated or is contingent on the occurrence of events that are speculative or that are independent of, and unrelated to, the matter.

Promulgated by Ethics Commission January 10, 2014; effective upon Legislature’s sine die adjournment May 23, 2014; operative January 1, 2015.