PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Ethics Commission is asking for the public's input on a set of proposals to double the amount of gift limits that one can give to a public official and banning lobbyists from giving political gifts.
Under existing rules, public officials can accept gifts up to $25 in value at a time, with a yearly cap of $75 from any “interested person.”
The proposed changes would raise those limits to $50 per gift and $150 annually. The commission cited inflation as the reason behind the proposed change.
Commissioners also aim to revise the definition of “interested persons” in order to prevent lobbyists from giving gifts.
The commission said the proposed gift rule changes are allowed under state law and reflect Rhode Island’s standards for ethical, transparent and accountable public service.
The commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes at its office at 40 Fountain St. on Sept. 9 at 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, public comments on both proposed changes will be accepted through Sept. 16, according to the commission. Feedback can be emailed to R.I. Ethics Commission Executive Director and Chief Prosecutor Jason Gramitt at
ethics.comment@ethics.ri.gov or by regular mail to the commission.
The commission began accepting public comments on both gift rule changes on June 26 when it published a Public Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
While Gramitt said that the commission hasn't received any public comment yet, he expects them to start to coming in now that the ethics panel publicized the request Tuesday morning.
The proposals themselves are not new. The commission first formally considered the lobbyist amendment in January after a petition was filed in December by Common Cause R.I. to remove lobbyists from in the state’s ethics “gift rule” code.
In February,
the commission voted 5–2 to begin closing a loophole that let lobbyists, including those from nonprofits, give gifts over the $25 limit by classifying them as “interested persons” as per Common Cause' petition.
In May, the commission first proposed raising overall gift limits due to inflation as part of broader ethics reforms.
Common Cause R.I. Executive Director John Marion said that he expects the lobbyist portion of the proposed ethics reform to receive widespread public support now that the commission is fielding such input.
However, he added that the nonprofit, which advocates for open, ethical and accountable government in the state, is not in support of doubling the gift giving limit.
"It's hard to see anyone besides public officials who would want to see that amount increased," Marion said. "It's a self-serving change, and I think the public will see right through that."
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
