Pennsylvania § 4304 - Additional restrictions.

§ 4304. Additional restrictions.

(a) Restrictions.--

(1) No individual trooper or employee of the Pennsylvania State Police or employee of the Office of Attorney General or the department whose duties substantially involve licensing or enforcement, the development of laws or the development or adoption of regulations or policy related to gaming under this part or who has other discretionary authority that may affect or influence the outcome of an action, proceeding or decision under this part may do any of the following:

(i) Accept employment with or be retained by an applicant or licensed entity, or an affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company of an applicant or licensed entity, for a period of two years after the termination of employment.

(ii) (A) Appear before the board in a hearing or proceeding or participate in other activity on behalf of an applicant, licensee or licensed entity, or an affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company of an applicant, licensee or licensed entity, for a period of two years after termination of employment.

(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent a current or former trooper or employee of the Pennsylvania State Police, the Office of Attorney General or the department from appearing before the board in a proceeding or hearing as a witness or testifying as to a fact or information.

(2) As a condition of employment, a potential employee who would be subject to this subsection shall sign an affidavit that the individual will not accept employment with or be retained by an applicant or licensed entity, or an affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company of an applicant or licensed entity, for a period of two years after the termination of employment.

(b) Employment or retention.--

(1) No applicant or licensed entity or an affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company of an applicant or licensed entity may employ or retain an individual subject to subsection (a) until the expiration of the period required in subsection (a)(1)(i).

(2) An applicant or licensed entity, or an affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company of an applicant or licensed entity, that knowingly employs or retains an individual in violation of this subsection shall terminate the employment of the individual and be subject to penalty under section 1518(c) (relating to prohibited acts; penalties).

(c) Violation.--If an individual subject to subsection (a) refuses or otherwise fails to sign an affidavit, the individual's potential employer shall rescind the offer of employment.

(d) Code of conduct.--

(1) The Pennsylvania State Police, Office of Attorney General and department each shall adopt a comprehensive code of conduct that supplements all other requirements under this part and 65 Pa.C.S. Pt. II (relating to accountability), as applicable, and shall provide guidelines applicable to troopers, employees, independent contractors of the agency whose duties substantially involve licensing or enforcement, the development of laws or the development or adoption of regulations or policy related to video gaming under this part or who have other discretionary authority that may affect the outcome of an action, proceeding or decision under this part, and the immediate families of these individuals to enable them to avoid a perceived or actual conflict of interest and to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of video gaming enforcement and regulation.

(2) At a minimum, the code of conduct adopted under this section shall apply the types of restrictions applicable to members under section 1202.1(c) (relating to code of conduct), except that the restrictions under section 1202.1(c)(5) shall not apply to an elected Attorney General.

(e) State Ethics Commission.--The State Ethics Commission shall do all of the following:

(1) (i) Issue a written determination of whether an individual is subject to subsection (a) upon the written request of the individual or the individual's employer or potential employer.

(ii) A person that relies in good faith on a determination made under this paragraph shall not be subject to penalty for an action taken, provided that all material facts specified in the request for the determination are correct.

(2) (i) Publish a list of all positions within the Pennsylvania State Police, the Office of Attorney General and the department the duties of which would subject the individuals in those positions to the provisions of subsection (a).

(ii) Each agency subject to this subsection shall assist the State Ethics Commission in the development of the list, which list shall be published by the State Ethics Commission in the Pennsylvania Bulletin biennially, shall be posted by the board on the board's publicly accessible Internet website and shall be posted by each agency on the agency's publicly accessible Internet website.

(iii) Upon request by the State Ethics Commission, members and employees of each agency subject to this subsection shall provide the State Ethics Commission with adequate information to accurately develop and maintain the list.

(iv) The State Ethics Commission may impose a civil penalty under 65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f) (relating to penalties) upon an individual who fails to cooperate with the State Ethics Commission under this subsection.

(v) A person who relies in good faith on the list published by the State Ethics Commission shall not be subject to penalty for a violation of subsection (a).

Cross References. Section 4304 is referred to in section 4303 of this title.