Haw. Code R. § 21-7-3 - Acceptable items

Current through February, 2022

(a) The following items generally may be accepted and need not be reported on a gifts disclosure statement:

(1) A lei, other than a money lei, offered in connection with a celebration, commemoration, or event;

(2) Discounts, services, or other benefits offered to the public at large. This may include discounts, services, or other benefits offered to government employees as a group, provided that the same discounts, services, or other benefits are offered on similar terms to other large groups of employees;

(3) Bona fide competitively awarded grants or scholarships;

(4) Promotional items having no resale value, such as branded pens, calendars, hats, or tote bags;

(5) Rewards or prizes given to competitors in contests or events, including random drawings, offered to the public or a segment thereof, where the legislator or employee receiving the reward or prize docs not attend the contest or event in an official capacity, unless a reasonable person would conclude that the reward or prize was offered to the legislator or employee because of the legislator's or employee's state position;

(6) A gift provided by any other state, a political subdivision of any other state, or the United States, provided that the gift serves a bona fide state purpose and that tangible and durable items of more than nominal value, such as artwork or jewelry, shall belong to the State rather than the individual recipient;

(7) Modestly priced awards, plaques, and other ceremonial items of the type customarily bestowed in connection with bona fide ceremonies and otherwise reasonable under the circumstances;

(8) Gifts received by a spouse or dependent child of the legislator or employee solely because of the spouse's or child's own employment, volunteer activities, or personal relationships, where a reasonable person would not believe that the gift was intended to influence or reward the legislator or employee; and

(9) An unsolicited gift of nominal value given as a token of appreciation to a teacher, medical professional, or similar kind of service provider, such as a holiday gift given to a teacher by a student or guardian, where the gift is offered by an individual in the individual's personal capacity, and the gift is given under circumstances in which no reasonable person would conclude that the gift was given to influence the recipient's state duties with respect to the offeror.

(b) Gifts given under circumstances in which no reasonable person would conclude that the gift was being given to influence or reward the recipient for the performance or nonperformance of the recipient's state duties may generally be accepted, but may be reportable pursuant to section 84-11.5, HRS.

Notes

Haw. Code R. § 21-7-3

[Eff 11/28/2020] (Auth: HRS § 84-31(a)(5)) (Imp: HRS §§ 84-11, 84-11.5, 84-13)