Tennessee § 65-1-102 - Commissioners — Prohibited activities.

§ 65-1-102. Commissioners — Prohibited activities.

No commissioner shall hold any other public office, under either the government of the United States or the government of this or any other state, nor shall any commissioner, while acting as such, engage in any business or occupation inconsistent with such person's duties as a commissioner. No commissioner shall be eligible to qualify as a candidate for any elected office unless such commissioner resigns from the commission prior to qualifying as a candidate. For the purposes of this section, “qualify as a candidate” means filing a statement certifying the name and address of a political treasurer pursuant to § 2-10-105(e). No person who owns, in an individual capacity or jointly with another person, any bonds, stocks, equity interest or other property in any business or entity regulated by the Tennessee public utility commission, or who is an agent or employee in any way of any such business or entity, shall be eligible to serve as a commissioner of the Tennessee public utility commission. No commissioner shall raise funds or solicit contributions for any political candidate or political party, or, except as provided in subdivision (c)(2), actively campaign for any candidate for public office. A commissioner shall be permitted to actively campaign for an “immediate family member” as that phrase is defined in § 8-50-502(8). The mere attendance of a commissioner at a political event or politically oriented event shall not constitute a violation of subdivision (c)(1). A commissioner's alleged violation of this subsection (c) shall be treated in the same manner as if such commissioner were a judge covered by Rule 10 of the Rules of the Supreme Court. No commissioner shall enter into an employment relationship, a consulting or representation agreement, or other similar contract or agreement with either an entity regulated by the commission or a subcontractor of such an entity for a period of one (1) year after the commissioner ceases to serve as a commissioner of the commission. Acts 1995, ch. 305, § 5; 1996, ch. 636, § 1; 2001, ch. 450, § 1; T.C.A. § 65-1-202 ; Acts 2013, ch. 245, § 2; 2017, ch. 94, §§ 45-47. Amendments. The 2017 amendment substituted “Tennessee public utility commission” for “Tennessee regulatory authority” in (b); substituted “commission” for “authority” and “commissioner” and “commissioners” for “director” and “directors” throughout the section. Effective Dates. Acts 2017, ch. 94, § 83. April 4, 2017.