Stop The Giving…Again

It’s now illegal to give a public official a gift valuing more than $50—again. The state Supreme Court reinstated Amendment 41—a controversial, 2006 voter-approved law that limits gifts to government officials—after it had been on hiatus because of a lower court’s injunction. The ban, enacted to curb gifts to lawmakers and other high-ranking officials, had come under fire because of vague language. This prompted fear that gifts such as a dinner certificate to a teacher could be considered illegal, a far cry from the spirit of the law.

What’s Next: It’ll be up to a yet-to-be formed ethics commission to ensure enforcement of the amendment stays within the spirit of the law.