Prohibitions

T.C.A. § 3-6-304 provides specific prohibitions on an executive branch employee accepting items from a lobbyist, employer of lobbyist or a person acting at their specific direction. Specifically:

• No executive branch employee or their immediate family may solicit or accept anything of value from a lobbyist, employer of a lobbyist or person acting at their specific direction with the stated or tacit understanding that their vote, action, or judgment would be influenced. (T.C.A. § 3-6-304(c))
• No executive branch employee or their immediate family may solicit or accept a loan of money from a lobbyist. (T.C.A. § 3-6-304(e))
• No executive branch employee may accept travel expenses, meals, or lodging provided pursuant to T.C.A. § 2-10-116, (honorarium statute discussed later) if paid for by a lobbyist or employer of a lobbyist unless an exception is specifically provided for under T.C.A. § 3-6-305. (T.C.A. § 3-6-304(n))

In addition to the prohibitions placed on executive branch employees in T.C.A. § 3-6-304 for accepting items from a lobbyist or employer of lobbyist, there are two additional prohibitions placed on lobbyists and employer of lobbyists.  Specifically, no lobbyist or employer of a lobbyist or any person acting at their direction may:

• Agree to pay an executive branch employee compensation for property or services substantially in excess of that charged in the ordinary course of business. (T.C.A. § 3-6-304(f))
• Allow an executive branch employee or their immediate family to use their credit or credit card. T.C.A. § 3-6-304(g))