Senate Bill No. 260, also known as File No. 250, seeks to amend Section 1-85 of the general statutes to clarify and expand the definition of "business with which the public official or state employee is associated" to include any employer of the official or their spouse, other than the state, that could financially benefit or suffer from the official's actions. The bill requires public officials to either recuse themselves from matters where a substantial conflict of interest exists or to submit a written statement justifying their participation, which must be filed with the Office of State Ethics and entered into the agency's records. The bill also updates the language to be gender-neutral and is set to take effect on October 1, 2024.

Furthermore, SB260 amends subsection (a) of section 1-86 to outline the disclosure process for potential conflicts of interest for public officials or state employees who are not elected state officials. It mandates the submission of a written statement to the Office of State Ethics and the agency's records, detailing the nature of the conflict and the reasons for participation in the matter. The bill also provides for cases where an agency does not maintain a journal or minutes. The fiscal impact statement attached to the bill indicates no expected fiscal impact on the state or municipalities. The bill has received a Joint Favorable report from the Government Administration and Elections Committee with a unanimous vote.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 1-85, 1-86
GAE Joint Favorable: 1-85, 1-86
File No. 250: 1-85, 1-86