8204 - Code of conduct.
§ 8204. Code of conduct. (a) Contents.--The commission shall adopt a comprehensive code of conduct within 90 days of the effective date of this section. The code of conduct shall supplement all other requirements under this chapter and shall provide guidelines applicable to members and executive-level employees and the immediate families of the members and executive-level employees to enable them to avoid any perceived or actual conflict of interest and to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the commission. At a minimum, the code of conduct adopted under this section shall provide that: (1) No member or executive-level employee may accept any discount, gift, gratuity, compensation, travel, lodging or other thing of value, in excess of the limits under 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105(b)(6) and (7) (relating to statement of financial interests) directly or indirectly, from any facility or business with which the commission has a contractual relationship. (2) Members and executive-level employees shall refrain from any financial or business dealing which would affect the member's objectivity, impartiality or independence of judgment. (3) (i) No member or executive-level employee may use the promise of business with the commission to solicit funds for any charitable, educational, religious, health, fraternal, civic or other nonprofit entity. (ii) A member or executive-level employee may serve as an officer, employee or member of the governing body of a nonprofit entity and may attend, make personal contributions to and plan or preside over the entity's fundraising events. (iii) A member or executive-level employee may permit his name to appear on the letterhead used for fundraising events if the letterhead contains only the member's name and position with the nonprofit entity. (4) No member or executive-level employee nor the immediate family of such person shall participate in any deliberations or vote of the commission in which that person may have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest. (5) (i) A member shall abstain from any vote or decision which authorizes a contract in which the member has any pecuniary interest. The member shall disclose the interest in a public meeting prior to the vote or decision. (ii) Failure to comply with this paragraph shall make the contract null and void. (6) No former member or executive-level employee may receive any pecuniary benefit from a contract between the commission and the employer of the former member or executive-level employee for a period of one year from the termination of employment or service with the commission. No former member or executive-level employee may solicit any contracts with the commission for a period of one year from the termination of employment or service with the commission. (7) A member of the commission who has been convicted during his term in any domestic or foreign jurisdiction of a felony shall, upon conviction, be automatically removed from the commission and shall be ineligible to become a commission member in the future. (8) No member may solicit, request, suggest or recommend the employment, by either the commission or a contractor with the commission, of any individual related within the first degree of consanguinity to the member as set forth in 23 Pa.C.S. § 1304(e) (relating to restrictions on issuance of license) or the spouse of the individual. (b) Audit.-- (1) At least once every four years, the Department of the Auditor General shall review the performance, procedures, operating budget, capital budget and debt of the commission and shall audit the accounts of the commission. (2) The Auditor General shall be entitled to go beyond mere financial statements and shall be entitled to examine original source documents at such time as is believed necessary or may otherwise examine original documents on a random basis designed to ensure the integrity of the audit. (3) The provisions of section 706(d) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, shall apply to any audit conducted under this subsection.