The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee (JLEC) issued an opinion this week prohibiting legislators and legislative employees from accepting travel expenses from a lobbyist in the form of transportation in a ride-sharing vehicle, unless such travel expenses are incurred for participation in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement; or were incurred at a meeting or convention of a national organization of which any state agency or state institution of higher education is a dues paying member.

The opinion also states legislators and legislative employees may ride with a lobbyist in a ride-sharing vehicle for personal travel, if the legislator or employee reimburses the lobbyist for the legislator or employee’s portion of the total fare within seven days of accepting the ride or directly pays the ride-sharing service for the legislator or employee’s portion of the fare.

This advisory opinion stemmed from an ongoing federal investigation into former Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and his ties to payday lending lobbyists.

The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee recently issued an advisory opinion clarifying certain gift reporting requirements for members, candidates, and employees of the General Assembly. The opinion also applies to reports filed by any legislative agent providing a gift to a reportable person.

Advisory Opinion 2014-003 speaks to the value of a complimentary ticket to a charitable fundraiser where the source of the ticket is a third party. When provided by a third party, a complimentary ticket to a non-political fundraiser is a gift, the value of which is the portion of the ticket price that is not tax-deductible.

Furthermore, such portion accrues toward any applicable gift limit. Conversely, a ticket to a charitable fundraiser where the source is the entity holding the event is not considered a gift.

A bill introduced October 10 by Rep. Robert Hagan proposes to amend sections 101.72, 101.73, and 101.75 of the Revised Code. H.B. 295 would require a legislative agent to report to the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee compensation paid to the agent by the agent’s employer. This would be an additional requirement, as the current sections of code require the reporting of expenditures only.

The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Pillich and Foley.

Photo of the Ohio Statehouse by Wikimedia Creative Commons.