Advisory Opinion No. 96-114

Re: Adrienne G. Southgate

QUESTION PRESENTED

The petitioner, General Counsel with the Public Utilities Commission, a state employee position, requests an advisory opinion as to whether she may accept payment for travel and hotel expenses related to a speaking at a seminar regarding electric power.

RESPONSE

It is the opinion of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission that the petitioner, General Counsel with the Public Utilities Commission, a state employee position, may accept payment for travel and hotel expenses related to speaking at a seminar regarding electric power. However, if in the future, those parties paying for her travel expenses appear before her in her position as General Counsel, she must recuse herself from participation in accordance with Section 6 of the Code of Ethics. Additionally, since the vendor is paying for the petitioner's travel and hotel and her extended stay will reduce the costs, it will not result in a private gain or advantage for the petitioner. This opinion is based on the potential for conflict if the petitioner were required to make decisions which involved the vendor.

Code Citations:

36-14-5(a)

36-14-5(g)

36-14-6

Related Advisory Opinions:

GCA-12

95-87

Keywords:

travel