Home Economy Government R.I. Ethics Commission votes to tighten lobbyist definition, but increase gift limits

R.I. Ethics Commission votes to tighten lobbyist definition, but increase gift limits

By

Jacquelyn Voghel

-

10/01/2025

STATEHOUSE RI — THE R.I. ETHICS COMMISSION voted to strengthen limits on lobbyist gifts to public officials, following a request from Common Cause Rhode Island, but also passed an increase on the maximum value of gifts.

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Ethics Commission has voted to place stricter limits on gifts that public officials can take from lobbyists, following concerns raised by Common Cause Rhode Island late last year. A second measure that raises the maximum monetary value of gifts, which Common Cause R.I. also opposed, will move forward. Common Cause R.I.,

Already a Subscriber? Log in

To Continue Reading This Article

Become a Providence Business News subscriber and get immediate access to all of our premier content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Critical RI business news and analysis updated daily.
1 year of print (26 issues).
Unlimited access to all subscriber only content on our website, on any device.
Free email alerts.
Annual Book of Lists Print Edition.
All special issues produced during subscription term.

Click Here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article

PBN Branded Content

When Your Period Is Disrupting Your Life, It’s Time to Talk About It

For many women, heavy or irregular menstrual cycles are often brushed off as “normal”—something to…

Learn More

No posts to display

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Ethics Commission has voted to place stricter limits on gifts that public officials can take from lobbyists, following concerns raised by Common Cause Rhode Island late last year. A second measure that raises the maximum monetary value of gifts, which Common Cause R.I. also opposed, will move forward. Common Cause R.I., a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to government transparency and democratic values, announced on Tuesday that the commission has changed its definition of an "interested person" to prohibit public officials from accepting unlimited gifts from all lobbyists, including those from nonprofits. But the ethics commission granted a proposal that allows public officials to accept gifts valued at up to $50 at a time, with a cap of $150 annually from any “interested person.” Previously, these limits were set at $25 at a time and $75 annually. In January, Common Cause R.I. first identified a "loophole" in state law that allowed nonprofit lobbyists to give gifts without the constraints of an "interested person" designation. The following month, Common Cause filed a petition to close this loophole by classifying all lobbyists as "interested persons." The Ethics Commission voted 5-2 in February to grant this request and held a public hearing on the matter in September. The commission also accepted public comment submissions. The commission proposed the increase on gift limit caps as part of a broader ethics reform in May, citing inflation. John Marion, executive director of Common Cause R.I., criticized this reasoning, stating that the doubling of the gift amounts allowed goes beyond the inflation rate. The nonprofit also didn’t see public demand for the increase, Marion said. Still, Common Cause R.I. notes the “interested person” update as the first time since 2012 that the ethics commission has elected to strengthen its laws. In a statement, Marion thanked the ethics commission for the definition change, calling it an “important step to strengthen our ethics laws and reduce the influence of special interests in Rhode Island politics.” Marion also sees the end result as an overall step forward; he told Providence Business News. “At the end of the day, we think it’s better to have a cap on gifts that is higher ... but broader, covering gifts from all types of lobbyists,” Marion said. “Before today, the limit was lower, but narrower because some lobbyist gifts weren’t subject to the limit.” Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.