• Alert - No Active Alerts
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to main menu
  • Need help resizing text?
  • State Agencies
  • State A-Z Topics
Go to Mass.gov home.
The Official Website of the State Ethics Commission
State Ethics Commission
Search

Main Menu

  • About the Commission

    Expand About the Commission
    • Organizational Structure

      • The Legal Division
      • The Public Education Division
      • The Enforcement Division
    • Commissioners

      • The Commissioners
  • Commission Services

    Expand Commission Services
    • The Complaint Process

      • Investigations
      • File a Complaint
      • Penalties
    • Adjudicatory Hearings

      • Calendar of Events
      • Electronic Case Filing (ECF) Instructions
      • Scheduling Order 9.2.11
      • more... of Adjudicatory Hearings
    • Statement of Financial Interests

      • 2011 SFI Instruction Manual.doc doc format of 			2011 SFI Instruction Manual.doc
      • 2011 SFI Form doc format of 			2011 SFI Form
      • File Your SFI Online
      • more... of Statement of Financial Interests (SFI)
  • Opinions & Rulings

    Expand Opinions & Rulings
    • Advisory Opinions

      • Gifts & Gratuities
      • Nepotism
      • Code of Conduct
      • more... of Advisory Opinions
    • Enforcement Matters

      • Bribery
      • Gifts & Gratuities
      • Nepotism
      • more... of Enforcement Matters
    • Rulings by Calendar Year

      • 2010 State Ethics Commission Rulings doc format of 			2010 State Ethics Commission Rulings
      • 2009 Rulings doc format of 			2009 Rulings
      • 2008 State Ethics Commission Rulings doc format of 			2008 State Ethics Commission Rulings
      • more... of State Ethics Commission Rulings by Calendar Year
  • Laws & Regulations

    Expand Laws & Regulations
    • Conflict of Interest Information

      • Conflict of Interest Law
      • Financial Disclosure Law
      • Section 2 Bribery
      • more... of Information about the Conflict of Interest Law
    • Rules and Regulations Governing the Commission

  • Education & Training Resources

    Expand Education & Training Resources
    • Mandatory Conflict Law Education Requirements

      • Mandatory Education and Training Guidelines
      • State Employees Summary
      • County Employees Summary
      • more... of Mandatory Education and Training Requirements - Summaries, Online Training, and Education and Training Guidelines
    • Educational Materials

      • Advisories
      • Summaries of the Law
      • Primers
      • more... of Educational Materials
    • In House Seminar Information

      • Seminar Schedule
      • Schedule a Seminar
  • Disclosure Forms

    Expand Disclosure Forms
    • Disclosure Forms for State Employees

    • Disclosure Forms for County Employees

    • Disclosure Forms for Municipal Employees

  • Press Releases, Meetings & Publications

    Expand Press Releases, Meetings & Publications
    • Press Releases

      • 2012 Press Releases
      • 2011 Press Releases
      • 2010 Press Releases
      • more... of Commission Press Releases
    • Meeting Minutes

      • March 16, 2012 meeting minutes
      • February 17, 2012 meeting minutes
      • January 20, 2012 meeting minutes
      • more... of Commission Meeting Minutes
    • Commission Meeting Notices

      • May 18, 2012 Commission meeting notice
      • April 20, 2012 Commission meeting notice
      • March 16, 2012 Commission meeting notice
      • more... of Commission Meeting Notices
    • Committee Meeting Notices

      • April 30, 2012 Enforcement Committee meeting notice
      • March 16, 2012 Enforcement Committee meeting cancelled
      • March 16, 2012 Enforcement Committee meeting notice
      • more... of Committee Meeting Notices
    • Annual Reports

      • Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report doc format of 			Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report
      • Fiscal Year 2010 Annual Report pdf format of 			Fiscal Year 2010 Annual Report
      • FY 2009 Annual Report pdf format of 			FY 2009 Annual Report
      • more... of Commission Annual Reports

Breadcrumbs

  1. Home
  2. Laws & Regulations

Information about the Conflict of Interest Law

Detailed information about the conflict of interest law, including educational advisories, summaries of the law and disclosure forms.
  • Conflict of Interest Law As Amended by c. 194, Acts of 2011

    Note: This unofficial version of chapter 268A as amended by chapter 194 of the Acts of 2011 was prepared by staff of the State Ethics Commission and is posted here for the convenience of the public. It is not an official statement of the law.

  • G.L. c. 268B, The Financial Disclosure Law, As Amended by c. 194, Acts of 2011

    Note: This unofficial version of chapter 268B as amended by chapter 194 of the Acts of 2011 was prepared by staff of the State Ethics Commission and is posted here for the convenience of the public. It is not an official statement of the law.

  • Bribery (268A, Section 2)

    A bribe is anything of value given to or received directly or indirectly by a public employee to take or not to take an official action.

  • Gifts and Gratuities (268A, Section 3)

    A gift or gratuity is anything of substantial value ($50 or more) given or received for or because of an official action under the public employee's official responsibility that has or will be performed.

  • Financial Interests Conflicting with Official Duties (268A, Sections 6, 13 and 19)

    Restrictions that limit a public employee's ability to participate in matters in which the public employee, his immediate family members, business partners, a business organization with which he is affiliated, or a business organization or individual with whom he is negotiating or has an arrangement concerning future employment, has a financial interest.

  • Code of Conduct (268A, Section 23)

    Standards of conduct that apply to public employees, including the use of a public position to get an unwarranted benefit or privilege, the appearance of a conflict and confidentiality.

  • Receiving Compensation From Another Individual or Entity, or Acting as an Agent or Attorney on Behalf of Another Individual or Entity, in a Matter of Public Interest (268A, Sections 4, 11 and 17)

    Restrictions that limit a public employee's ability to receive money (or any compensation) outside of his public employment, and restrictions that limit a public employee's ability to act on behalf of other individuals or entities, even if the public employee is not paid.

  • Public Employees Who Have A Direct or Indirect Financial Interest in Multiple Public Contracts (268A, Sections 7, 14 and 20)

    Restrictions that limit a public employee's ability to have a direct or indirect financial interest in multiple public contracts (i.e. a second state, county or municipal contract or position).

  • Former Public Employees (268A, Sections 5, 12 and 18)

    Restrictions that apply to public employees after they have left public service and restrictions placed on business partners of current and former public employees.

  • Statute of Limitations

    Information about how the statute of limitations applies to Commission proceedings.

  • Introduction to the Conflict of Interest Law for the Public Sector

    An introduction to the conflict of interest law for public employees.

  • Introduction to the Conflict of Interest Law for the Private Sector

    An introduction to the conflict of interest law for the private sector.


Complementary Content

Topic Menu

  • Gifts & GratuitiesClick to show or hide the child topics of Gifts & Gratuities.

    • Disclosure Forms
    • Educational Materials
  • NepotismClick to show or hide the child topics of Nepotism.

    • Disclosure Forms
    • Educational Materials
  • Code of ConductClick to show or hide the child topics of Code of Conduct.

    • Disclosure Forms
    • Educational Materials
  • Divided LoyaltiesClick to show or hide the child topics of Divided Loyalties.

    • Educational Materials
  • Holding a 2nd Public PositionClick to show or hide the child topics of Holding a 2nd Public Position.

    • Disclosure Forms
    • Educational Materials
  • Leaving State or Municipal ServiceClick to show or hide the child topics of Leaving State or Municipal Service.

    • Educational Materials
  • State Ethics Commission Web Feedback
  • State Ethics Commission Site Policies
  • Contact Us

© 2012 Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Mass.Gov® is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.