Complaint Opinion 17-01
Date
03/23/2017
Number
2017 No. 1
Topic
Gifts - Travel
Respondent
Fitzgibbon
Question/Complaint
Was the legislator’s acceptance of travel expenses allowable under the definitions of “gift” in RCW 42.52.010?
Summary
Yes. A legislator may accept gifts of travel and related expenses under RCW 42.52.010, if there is an objectively reasonable nexus with the travel and legislative duties. Upon review of the travel occasions, the Board determined that the travels were legislative in nature and dismissed the complaint for lack of reasonable cause.