2012 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 9 - ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 13 - GOVERNMENT ETHICS ARTICLE 1 PUBLIC OFFICIALS, MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES ETHICS
9-13-102. Definitions.

(a) As used in this article:

(i) "Anything of value" means:

(A) A pecuniary item, including money or a bank bill or note;

(B) A promissory note, bill of exchange, order, draft, warrant, check or bond given for the payment of money;

(C) A contract, agreement, promise or other obligation for an advance, conveyance, forgiveness of indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge or transfer of money;

(D) A stock, bond, note or other investment interest in an entity;

(E) A right in action;

(F) A gift, tangible good, chattel or an interest in a gift, tangible good or chattel;

(G) A work of art, antique or collectible;

(H) An automobile or other means of personal transportation;

(J) Real property or an interest in real property, including title to realty, a fee simple or partial interest, present or future, contingent or vested within realty, a leasehold interest or other beneficial interest in realty;

(K) An honorarium or compensation for services arising out of the person's service as a public official, public member or public employee;

(M) The sale or trade of anything of value:

(I) For reasonable consideration that would ordinarily not be available to a member of the public; or

(II) With a rebate or at a discount in its price, unless the rebate or discount is made in the ordinary course of business to a member of the public, or any group or category thereof, but without regard to that person's status as a public official, public member or public employee.

(N) A promise or offer of employment;

(O) Any other thing of value that is pecuniary or compensatory in value to a person.

(ii) "Anything of value" does not mean a campaign contribution properly received and reported, if reportable, as required under the Wyoming Election Code;

(iii) "Compensation" includes:

(A) An advance, conveyance, forgiveness of indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge or transfer of money or anything of value; or

(B) A contract, agreement, promise or other obligation for an advance, conveyance, forgiveness of indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge or transfer of money or anything of value, for services rendered or to be rendered.

(iv) "Compensation" does not include:

(A) Reimbursement of expenses if the reimbursement does not exceed the amount actually expended for the expenses, and if the reimbursement is substantiated by an itemization of expenses; or

(B) Per diem payments or mileage allowances paid by the employing government entity in accordance with applicable law.

(v) "Family member" means an individual:

(A) Who is the spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent or grandchild; or

(B) Is a member of the individual's household.

(vi) "Gift" means anything of value to the extent that consideration of equal or greater value is not received, but excludes the following:

(A) Printed informational, educational or promotional material;

(B) A gift that:

(I) Is not used; and

(II) No later than thirty (30) days after receipt, is returned to the donor or delivered to a charitable organization and is not claimed as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes.

(C) A gift, devise or inheritance from any of the following, if the donor is not acting as the agent or intermediary for someone other than a person covered by this subparagraph:

(I) An individual's spouse;

(II) An individual's child, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle or first cousin;

(III) The spouse of any individual listed in subdivision (II) of this subparagraph;

(IV) Any person, including an organization, which has a bona fide social or private business relationship with the individual, where the circumstances demonstrate that the motivation for the gift arises out of that relationship and not from the recipient's holding of public office or employment. For the purposes of this subdivision, relevant circumstances include but are not limited to the source of funds used by the donor to acquire the gift;

(V) Any person, including an organization, where the gift does result from the person's holding an office or position, but where the gift is of nominal value, is made voluntarily by the donor and is made in recognition of a special occasion, such as marriage, illness or retirement.

(D) A certificate, commemorative token or item, or plaque with a value that does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00);

(E) Food and beverage;

(F) Compensation, per diem or other payments or benefits which the public official, public member or public employee receives in the performance of services for the governmental entity;

(G) Repealed By Laws 1999, ch. 140, 2.

(H) Any loan, gift, gratuity, special discount or hospitality with a value of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or less; or

(J) Travel, registration and lodging for any conference or meeting while attending in his official capacity as a public official, public member or public employee.

(vii) "Local office" means the offices of county commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, county clerk, county sheriff, county coroner, district attorney, county attorney, mayor and member of the council of a municipality, member of the board of trustees of a community college district or a school district and member of a joint powers board or special district. As used in this paragraph "special district" means any special district specified under W.S. 22-29-103(a) and any other corporate district authorized to be formed as a political subdivision under the laws of this state;

(viii) "Negotiating" or "negotiate for employment" means a communication, directly or indirectly, with a prospective employer to discuss rendering services for compensation to that prospective employer;

(ix) "Negotiation for employment" means the period that begins with a communication to a prospective employer to discuss rendering services for compensation to the prospective employer;

(x) "Official responsibility or official capacity" means the direct administrative or operating authority, whether intermediate or final, and either exercisable alone or with others, and either personally or through subordinates, to approve, disapprove, or otherwise direct government action;

(xi) "Participation" includes decision, approval, disapproval or vote;

(xii) "Public employee" means any of the following state employees:

(A) The attorney general and the director of any department of the executive branch appointed by the governor under W.S. 9-2-1706, or the director of any legislative agency;

(B) The chief executive officer of any separate operating agency under W.S. 9-2-1704(d), except those listed in paragraphs (d)(vi) and (x) of that section;

(C) To the extent the incumbent in the position serves at the pleasure of persons listed in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this section, administrators of department or agency divisions, and deputy directors of departments;

(D) Commissioners of the public service commission and members of the state board of equalization;

(E) Deputies and administrators of divisions within the offices of state elected officials under W.S. 9-2-1704(a). The positions, in the governor's office, of chief of staff, attorney for intergovernmental affairs and chief of policy are included within this subparagraph.

(xiii) "Public member" means a member appointed to a part-time position on a state board, commission or council. A public member does not lose this status by receiving reimbursement of expenses or a per diem payment for services. The term includes a member of the board of trustees of the University of Wyoming and the community college commission. The term does not include a public member of an advisory board, advisory commission or advisory council;

(xiv) "Public official" means an individual elected to a state or local office, or an individual who is appointed to fill a vacancy in a state or local office, whether or not the individual has yet assumed the office;

(xv) "State entity" means a state agency, office, department, division, bureau, board, commission or council, including the legislature, Wyoming community development authority and Wyoming science, technology and energy authority. The term does not include a court or an agency in the judicial branch;

(xvi) "State office" means the state offices of governor, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, auditor, secretary of state and member of the state legislature;

(xvii) "This act" means W.S. 9-13-101 through 9-13-109.