Tennessee § 5-14-114 - Conflicts of interest — Illegal payments.

§ 5-14-114. Conflicts of interest — Illegal payments.

Neither the county purchasing agent, nor members of the county purchasing commission, nor members of the county legislative body, nor other officials of the county, shall be financially interested, or have any personal beneficial interest, either directly or indirectly, in any contract or purchase order for any supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services used by or furnished to any department or agency of the county government. Nor shall any such persons accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm or corporation to which any contract or purchase order may be awarded, by rebate, gift or otherwise, any money or anything of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation or contract for future reward or compensation. A violation of this section is a Class D felony. Acts 1957, ch. 312, § 10; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 36; T.C.A., § 5-1414; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 18. Cross-References. Penalty for Class D felony, § 40-35-111 . Textbooks. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 8 Tenn. Juris., Counties, § 27. Attorney General Opinions. Acceptance of gifts from contracting companies, OAG 94-73, 1994 Tenn. AG LEXIS 76 (6/16/94). T.C.A. § 5-14-114(a) does not prohibit county commissioners from being directly or indirectly interested in a spouse's full-time employment contract with the county because such a contract is not a “contract or purchase order … for contractual services” within the meaning of the statute, OAG 00-152, 2000 Tenn. AG LEXIS 154 (10/6/00). A county commissioner who works part-time as an independent contractor for a department of county government is prohibited from being directly or indirectly interested in county supply and service contracts, OAG 00-152, 2000 Tenn. AG LEXIS 154 (10/6/00). A shareholder of a bank that conducts business with the county is prohibited from serving as a county commissioner, or as a member of the county budget committee or the county purchasing commission, OAG 07-141, 2007 Tenn. AG LEXIS 141 (10/10/07). Conflicts of Interest under T.C.A. § 5-14-114 . OAG 12-65, 2012 Tenn. AG LEXIS 65 (6/27/12).