Gifts - In General

The statutes take a unique approach to prohibiting gifts to executive branch employees.  The statute prohibits all gifts to executive branch employees from lobbyists and employer of lobbyists and then provides exemptions to the ban on all gifts. 

T.C.A. § 3-6-305(a)(2) provides that an executive branch employee or their immediate family may not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, a gift from a lobbyist or employer of a lobbyist.

T.C.A.  § 3-6-305(b)(1) through (12) provide specific exemptions to the gift ban in T.C.A. § 3-6-305(a)(2).  In addition, the definition of “gift” (T.C.A. § 3-6-301(11)) excludes certain items.

Over the next several pages, the training will detail the exemptions to the gift prohibition.  When applying these exceptions to the gift ban, executive branch employees should use caution.  If at any time there is a question as to whether a gift qualifies under an exception to the gift ban, the employee should contact the Commission for advice as detailed in the Seeking Advice section of the training.