47 Pa. Stat. § 2-210

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 2-210 - Restrictions on members of the board and certain employes of Commonwealth
(a) A member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau or a member of the immediate family of a member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau shall not be directly or indirectly interested or engaged in any other business or undertaking within the Commonwealth dealing in liquor, alcohol, or malt or brewed beverages, whether as owner, part owner, partner, member of syndicate, holder of stock exceeding five percent (5%) of the equity at fair market value of the business, independent contractor or manager of a licensed establishment required under 40 Pa. Code § 5.23 (relating to appointment of managers), and whether for his own benefit or in a fiduciary capacity for some other person. For the purpose of this subsection only, "employe of the board or Enforcement Bureau" shall mean any individual employed by the board or Enforcement Bureau who is responsible for taking or recommending official action of a nonministerial nature with regard to:
(1) contracting or procurement;
(2) administering or monitoring grants or subsidies;
(3) planning or zoning;
(4) inspecting, licensing, regulating or auditing any person; or
(5) any other activity where the official action has an economic impact of greater than a de minimis nature on the interests of any person.
(b) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau or a member of the immediate family of a member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau nor any employe of the Commonwealth shall solicit or receive, directly or indirectly, any commission, remuneration or gift whatsoever, from any person having sold, selling or offering liquor or alcohol for sale to the board for use in Pennsylvania Liquor Stores.
(c) No person convicted of an infamous crime may be employed as a member or employe by the board or enforcement bureau.
(d) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau may use his position with the board or enforcement bureau, or any confidential information received through his position with the board or enforcement bureau, to obtain financial gain, other than compensation provided by law, for himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he is associated.
(e) No person may offer or give to a member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau or a member of his immediate family or a business with which he is associated, and no member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau may solicit or accept anything of value, including a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future employment, based on an understanding that the vote, official action or judgment of the member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau would be influenced thereby.
(f) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau or a member of his immediate family or any business in which the member or employe or a member of his immediate family is a director, officer or owner or holder of stock exceeding five percent (5%) of the equity at fair market value of the business may enter into any contract valued at five hundred dollars ($500) or more to provide goods or services to the board or enforcement bureau unless the contract has been awarded to the lowest responsible bidder through an open and public process, including prior public notice and subsequent public disclosure of all proposals considered and contracts awarded.
(g) No former member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau may represent a person, with or without compensation, on any matter before the board or enforcement bureau for one year after leaving the board or enforcement bureau.
(h) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau or an advisor or consultant thereto having recommended to the board or enforcement bureau either the making of a contract or a course of action of which the making of a contract is an express or implied part, may, at any time thereafter, have an adverse interest in that contract.
(i) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau may influence or attempt to influence the making of, or supervise or deal with, a contract with the board or enforcement bureau in which he has an adverse interest.
(j) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau may have an adverse interest in a contract with the board or enforcement bureau.
(k) No person having an adverse interest in a contract with the board or enforcement bureau may become an employe of the board or enforcement bureau until the adverse interest has been wholly divested.
(l) No member or employe of the board or enforcement bureau, except in the performance of his duties as such employe, may, for remuneration, directly or indirectly, represent a person upon a matter pending before the board or enforcement bureau.
(m)
(1) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall have his employment by the board or enforcement bureau immediately terminated by the appropriate person having the power to terminate and shall be liable to the board or enforcement bureau to reimburse the board or enforcement bureau for all compensation received by him from the board or enforcement bureau while employed in violation of subsection (c).
(2) Any person who violates the provisions of subsections (b), (d) or (e) shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or to undergo imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or both.
(3) Any person who violates the provisions of subsections (a) or (f) through (l) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or to undergo imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both.
(4) Any person who obtains financial gain from violating any provisions of this section, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, shall pay into the accounts of the board a sum of money equal to three (3) times the financial gain resulting from the violation.
(5) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be barred for a period of five (5) years from engaging in any business or contract with the board or enforcement bureau.
(6) The penalties and sanctions provided by this subsection shall supersede any similar penalties and sanctions provided by the act of July 19, 1957 (P.L. 1017, No. 451), known as the "State Adverse Interest Act," and the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L. 883, No. 170), referred to as the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law.
(n) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Business" shall mean a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual, holding company, joint-stock company, receivership, trust or legal entity organized for profit or as a not-for-profit corporation or organization.

"Immediate family" shall mean a spouse residing in the person's household and minor dependent children.

"Infamous crime" shall mean a violation and conviction for an offense which would disqualify an individual from holding public office pursuant to section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Pennsylvania; a conviction within the preceding ten (10) years for a violation of this section or of18 Pa.C.S. § 4113 (relating to misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions), Ch. 47 (relating to bribery and corrupt influence), Ch. 49 (relating to falsification and intimidation), Ch. 51 (relating to obstructing governmental operations) or Ch. 53 (relating to abuse of office); or a violation of the laws of this Commonwealth or another state or the Federal Government for which an individual has been convicted within the preceding ten (10) years and which is classified as a felony.

47 P.S. § 2-210

1951, April 12, P.L. 90, art. II, § 210. Reenacted and amended 1987, June 29, P.L. 32, No. 14, § 13, effective 7/1/1987. Amended 1988, Dec. 21, P.L. 1879, No. 183, § 1, imd. effective.