The Official Website of the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission
The State Ethics Commission has reorganized its educational materials to make them more accessible to the public. All Commission's educational materials are now available online. (Some materials have been renumbered while others have been withdrawn or eliminated. For example, the Commission will no longer publish fact sheets. Over the next year, the Commission plans to revise, add and update many of these publications.)
It is important to keep in mind that educational materials are general in nature and are not exhaustive reviews of the conflict law. For specific questions, public officials and employees should contact their agency or municipal counsel or the Legal Division of the State Ethics Commission at (617) 371-9500.
ETHICS PRIMERS
Primers are discussions of a particular section of the conflict of interest law that originally appeared in the Commission's Bulletins. The information provided is educational in nature and should not be considered legal advice.
MUNICIPAL PRIMERS |
STATE PRIMERS |
Municipal Officials Appearing Before Town Boards (Summer 2002) | State Officials Appearing Before State Agencies and Boards (Summer 2005) |
| Former Municipal Employees(Fall 2002) | Former State Employees (Fall 2005) |
| Self-Dealing, Financial Interests and the Rule of Necessity for Municipal Employees (Fall 2001; Spring 2002) | Self-Dealing and Financial Interests for State Employees (Spring 2005) |
| Financial Interests in Contracts for Municipal Employees (Spring 2001) | Financial Interests in Contracts for State Employees (Spring 2006) |
| The Code of Conduct (Spring 2003) | The Code of Conduct (Spring 2003) |
| Giving Gifts and Gratuities (Summer 2003) | Giving Gifts and Gratuities (Summer 2003) |
| Receiving Gifts and Gratuities (Fall 2004) | Receiving Gifts and Gratuities (Fall 2004) |
ADVISORIES
The Commission issues Advisories periodically to interpret various provision of the conflict of interest law. Advisories respond to issues that may arise in the context of a particular advisory opinion or enforcement action but which have the potential for broad application. Advisories have been renumbered sequentially and by the year in which they are issued.No. 84-01: Political Activity (Revised April 2006) (Formerly Advisory No. 4)
No. 84-02: Municipal Districts and Authorities and Their Special Municipal Employees (Revised November 1992) (Formerly Advisory No. 5)
No. 84-03: Municipal Lawyers Representing Both a Municipal Employee and a Municipality in the Same Suit (Revised January 2004) (Formerly Advisory No. 6)
No. 86-01: Public Employee Stock Ownership (Revised January 2004) (Formerly Advisory No. 9)
No. 86-02: Nepotism (Revised January 2004) (Formerly Advisory No. 11)
No. 88-01: Agency, Part A: Municipal Employees Acting as Agent (Revised July 1994) (Formerly Advisory No. 13A)
No. 90-01: Negotiating for Prospective Employment (Revised January 2004) (Formerly Advisory No. 14)
No. 90-02: Former State Employees Serving as Legislative Agents (Formerly Fact Sheet 13)
No. 94-01: Agency, Part B: State Employees Acting as Agent (Formerly Advisory No. 13B)
No. 94-02: Agency, Part C: County Employees Acting as Agent (Formerly Advisory No. 13C)
No. 98-01: The Conflict Law and Legislators' Private Employment
No. 04-01: Free Tickets and Special Access to Event Tickets
No. 04-02: Gifts and Gratuities
No. 05-01: The Standards of Conduct
No. 05-02: Voting on Matters Affecting Abutting or Nearby Property
No. 05-04: Voting on Matters Involving Competitors
No. 05-05: The Rule of Necessity
SUMMARIES OF THE LAW
No. 1: Selectmen (Revised September 2005)
No. 2: City Councilors (November 1987)
No. 3: Municipal Managers (May 1987)
No. 4: Town/City Clerks (September 1987)
No. 5: Treasurers (August 1987)
No. 6: Planning Board members (October 1987)
No. 7: Zoning Board of Appeals members (October 1987)
No. 8: Board of Health members (Revised May 1996)
No. 9: Conservation Commission members (July 1987)
No. 10: Auditors and Accountants (March 1988)
No. 11: School Committee members (October 1988)
No. 12: Former State Employees (Revised March 1993)
No. 13: Former Municipal Employees (March 1989)
No. 14: Housing Authority Employees (July 1989)
No. 15: Municipal Finance Committee Members (February 1995)
No. 16: Special Municipal Employees (August 1992)
No. 17: Municipal Building Officials (September 2004)
FACT SHEETS
The following fact sheets will be removed as they are replaced with advisories.
No. 1: See Advisory 05-01: The Standards of Conduct (Revised February 2005)
No. 2: See Advisory 05-04: Voting on Matters Involving Competitors (Revised June 2005)
No. 3: See Advisory 05-03: Elected Officials Voting on Budgets and Signing Payroll Warrants that Include Salaries for Family Members (Revised June 2005)
No. 4: See Summary 16: Special Municipal Employees (Revised August 1992)
No. 5: See Advisory 05-05: The Rule of Necessity (Revised December 2005)
No. 6: See Advisory 05-02: Voting on Matters Affecting Abutting or Nearby Property (Revised June 2005)
No. 13: See Advisory No. 90-02: Former State Employees Serving as Legislative Agents (December 1990)
OTHER
M.G.L. 268A - The Conflict of Interest Law
M.G.L. 268B - The Financial Disclosure Law and State Ethics Commission Enabling Statute
930 CMR: State Ethics Commission (regulations governing Ethics Commission proceedings) (Revised July 1993)
Investigation and Enforcement Procedures (Revised February 2004)
Introduction to the Conflict Law (tri-fold) (pdf)
Introduction to the Conflict Law for the Private Sector (tri-fold) (pdf)
Top Ten Rules for Municipal Employees
Top Ten Rules for State Employees
This page was last updated on December 16, 2005.