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Pennsylvania State Archives

RG-56
Records of the STATE ETHICS COMMISSION


The Commission was created by Act 170-1978 and amended by Act 9-1989, to administer and enforce the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law. The law provides that public office is a public trust and any effort to realize personal financial gain through public office is a violation of that trust. The Act was passed to strengthen the faith and confidence of the people of Pennsylvania in their government.

The Ethics Law provides that the Commission shall be comprised of seven members who are cognizant of the responsibilities and burdens of public service. Three Commission members are appointed by the Governor, only two of whom may be of the same political party. One member each is appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader of the House. All are appointed without confirmation. Commission members are eligible to serve two full three-year terms. Commission members and employees may not hold or campaign for any other public office, hold office in any political party or political committee, actively participate or contribute in any political campaign, have served as an officer in a political party for one year prior to appointment, influence any decision by a governmental body except as a member of the Commission, or be employed by the Commonwealth or a political subdivision in any other capacity.

The Commission's powers and duties include the following: render opinions to present or former public officials and public employees as to their obligations under the Ethics Act; investigate alleged violations of the Ethics Act; receive and review Financial Interest Statements of persons required to file; prescribe rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the Ethics Act; prescribe forms for filing; make statements available for public inspection and copying; maintain a master index of statements filed with the Commission; prepare and publish an annual report; and accept and file information voluntarily supplied that exceeds the requirements of the Act.

The Commission administers the statements of financial interest made by holders of (1) elected or appointed public office, including candidates, except advisory boards that neither spend public funds nor otherwise exercise the power of the State or political subdivision thereof, and (2) public employment (excluding teaching) which involves responsibility, to the level of personal judgment, for official actions regarding contracting, procurement, administering grants or subsidies, planning, zoning, inspecting, licensing, regulating, auditing, or other activities where official actions have more than a minimal economic impact. The statements are meant to assure that such persons have neither a conflict of interest nor the appearance of a conflict of interest with the public trust.

Last processing update: 11/21/2011, acc. #5847

PA State Archives Hours, Directions, & Fees Research Topics Finding Aids for Collections Land Records