Wisconsin Legislature: ETH 16.03

Chapter ETH 16

LOBBYING

ETH 16.02 Hospitality, defined.

ETH 16.03 Topic of a lobbying communication.

ETH 16.04 Proposed administrative rule number.

ETH 16.05 Voluntary lobbyist home address disclosure.

Ch. ETH 16 NoteNote: Chapter Eth 1 as it existed on June 30, 1976 was repealed and a new Chapter Eth 1 was created effective July 1, 1976. Chapter Eth 1 was renumbered chapter GAB 16 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register April 2008 No. 628. Chapter GAB 16 was renumbered Chapter ETH 16 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register June 2016 No. 726.

ETH 16.02ETH 16.02 Hospitality, defined. When used in s. 19.42 (1), Stats.,“hospitality” includes but is not limited to meals, beverages and lodging which a host other than an organization offers a guest on premises owned or occupied by the host or his or her immediate family as the host’s principal or seasonal residence. Hospitality is unrelated to state business if the hospitality would be extended if the recipient or a member of the recipient’s immediate family did not hold a state public office.

ETH 16.02 NoteNote: Anything of value is defined at s. 19.42 (1), Stats., and later appears at ss. 19.42 (6) and 19.45 (2), (3) and (4), Stats. Specifically excluded from the term is “. . . hospitality extended for a purpose unrelated to state business by a person other than an organization.”

ETH 16.02 NoteIn general, these sections provide that a state public official may not use his or her public office to obtain anything of substantial value and may not accept anything of value if it could reasonably be expected to influence the official’s judgment. Moreover, a state official must report annually the acceptance of anything of value received as a gift from someone other than a relative if its value exceeds $50.

ETH 16.02 NoteETH 16.02 identifies the most common situations coming within the hospitality exclusion. Many other circumstances may come within the exclusion (e.g., wedding receptions, theater parties, hunting trips) but because of their diverse character no general rule can be stated. Written opinions on the term’s application to situations not addressed here may be obtained from the board on request.

ETH 16.02 NoteThe rule also identifies the circumstances under which hospitality is unrelated to state business.

ETH 16.02 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, June, 1976, No. 246, eff. 7-1-76; am. (1) and (5), Register, September, 1976, No. 249, eff. 10-1-76; renum. (6) to be (7), cr. (6), Register, May, 1977, No. 257, eff. 6-1-77; am. (1), Register, June, 1977, No. 258, eff. 7-1-77; renum. (7) to be (8), cr. (7), Register, November, 1977, No. 263, eff. 12-1-77; am. (intro.) r. and recr. (1) and r. (2) to (8), Register, October, 1978, No. 274, eff. 11-1-78; renum. (1) to be (2), cr. (1), Register, July, 1979, No. 283, eff. 8-1-79; am. (intro.) and (1), r. (2), Register, April, 1985, No. 352, eff. 5-1-85.

ETH 16.03ETH 16.03 Topic of a lobbying communication. A person reports a topic as provided by s. 13.67, Stats., if the person provides the ethics commission all of the following information:

ETH 16.03(1)(1) A succinct written statement sufficient to put the reader on notice of the communication’s specific subject matter.

ETH 16.03(2)(2) Whether the communication is an attempt to influence legislative or administrative action, or both.

ETH 16.03(4)(4) A single category designation, chosen from the following list:

ETH 16.03(4)(a)(a) Administrative Law.

ETH 16.03(4)(am)(am) Agriculture and Forestry.

ETH 16.03(4)(b)(b) Alcohol Beverage Regulation.

ETH 16.03(4)(bm)(bm) Buildings and Safety.

ETH 16.03(4)(c)(c) Campaign Finance.

ETH 16.03(4)(cg)(cg) Children.

ETH 16.03(4)(cr)(cr) Claims.

ETH 16.03(4)(d)(d) Collective Bargaining.

ETH 16.03(4)(dm)(dm) Commerce and Consumer Protection.