Section 23(b)(1) Legal Opinions

This section of the conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from accepting other employment involving compensation of substantial value, the responsibilities of which are inherently incompatible with the responsibilities of their public office

• EC-COI-82-2

  May a special state employee serve as a consultant for a private organization?

• EC-COI-82-153

  May a consultant/attorney who works part-time for a House Committee also represent a private organization which is interested in establishing off-track betting facilities in the Commonwealth?

• EC-COI-87-18

  An attorney may serve as special municipal counsel representing a board of health in a state lawsuit.

• EC-COI-94-8

  Municipal police officers cannot be employed as private security guards in their own town, outside of the official municipal "paid detail" system, because the private security work might impair the officers' independence of judgment in the performance of their official duties. Therefore, the private employment is "inherently incompatible" with the police officers' official duties, and is prohibited by G.L. c. 268A, section 23(b)(1).

• EC-COI-97-1

  A part-time intermittent police officer may work as a security guard in the same city where they serve as a police officer as long he is not on active police duty.