PRINTER'S NO. 1
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 1
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PITTMAN, JANUARY 7, 2025
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JANUARY 7, 2025
A RESOLUTION
1 Adopting Ethical Conduct Rules of the Senate.
2 RESOLVED, That Ethical Conduct Rules of the Senate be adopted
3 for the governing of the 209th and 210th Regular Session.
4 2025-2026
5 ETHICAL CONDUCT RULES OF THE SENATE
6 Rule 1. Preliminary provisions.
7 As used in these rules, the following words and phrases shall
8 have the meanings given to them in this rule unless the context
9 clearly indicates otherwise:
10 "Campaign activity." An activity on behalf of a political
11 party, candidate, political committee or campaign, which is
12 intended to advance the interests of a specific party,
13 candidate, political committee or campaign for elective office,
14 including any of the following:
15 (1) Organizing a campaign meeting, campaign rally or
16 other campaign event, including a fundraiser where campaign
17 contributions are solicited or received.
18 (2) Preparing or completing responses to candidate
 1 questionnaires that are intended solely for campaign use.
2 (3) Preparing a campaign finance report.
3 (4) Conducting background research on a candidate.
4 (5) Preparing or conducting a campaign poll.
5 (6) Preparing, circulating or filing a candidate
6 nominating petition or papers.
7 (7) Participating in, preparing, reviewing or filing a
8 legal challenge to a nominating petition.
9 (8) Preparing, distributing or mailing any campaign
10 literature, campaign signs or other campaign material,
11 including television and radio ads, website construction, e-
12 mails, facsimiles and robocalls, on behalf of any candidate
13 for elective office.
14 (9) Managing a campaign for elective office.
15 (10) Participating in, preparing, reviewing or filing
16 any documents in any recount, challenge or contest of any
17 election.
18 (11) Posting campaign-related information on a website,
19 including social media websites or other electronic media
20 websites.
21 "Campaign contribution." A monetary or in-kind contribution
22 made to an electoral candidate campaign.
23 "Candidate." As defined in section 1621 of the act of June
24 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election
25 Code.
26 "Cash gift."
27 (1) Any of the following:
28 (i) United States or foreign currency.
29 (ii) A money order.
30 (iii) A check.
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 1 (iv) A prepaid debit or credit card.
2 (v) A gift card or certificate.
3 (2) The term does not include:
4 (i) An expenditure or other transaction subject to
5 reporting under Article XVI the Pennsylvania Election
6 Code.
7 (ii) A commercial loan made in the ordinary course
8 of business.
9 (iii) A transaction involving reasonable
10 consideration of equal or greater value.
11 (iv) A cash gift from a parent, sibling, spouse,
12 child, stepchild, stepparent, stepsibling, grandparent,
13 grandchild, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law or other close
14 relative when the circumstances make it clear that the
15 motivation for the action was a personal or family
16 relationship.
17 (v) A cash gift available to the public or offered
18 to members of a group or class in which membership is not
19 related to being a Senator or Senate employee.
20 (vi) An award or prize given to competitors in any
21 contest or event open to the public, including random
22 drawings.
23 "Commercial loan made in the ordinary course of business." A
24 loan from a bank or other financial institution on terms
25 generally available to the public.
26 "De minimis." An economic consequence which has an
27 insignificant effect.
28 "Lobbyist." Any individual, firm, association, corporation,
29 partnership, business trust or other entity that is registered
30 as a lobbyist under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 13A (relating to lobbying
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 1 disclosure).
2 "Mass communication." The term includes, but is not limited
3 to, any of the following if paid for with Senate funds:
4 (1) A newsletter.
5 (2) A printed mailing of more than 50 pieces in which
6 the content of the matter is substantially identical.
7 (3) A paid social media post.
8 (4) A public service announcement via radio or
9 television broadcast that depicts the name, voice or image of
10 a Senator.
11 (5) An electronic communication, including a telephone
12 town hall or other type of telemarketing.
13 (6) A text message transmission to more than 50 phone
14 numbers per day in which the content of the matter is
15 substantially identical.
16 "Newsletter." A printed document more than one page in
17 length that addresses more than one subject and is printed in
18 quantities of 25,000 copies or more.
19 "Official action." An administrative action or legislative
20 action, as those terms are defined in 65 Pa.C.S. § 13A03
21 (relating to definitions).
22 "Official Senate contact lists." Any list containing
23 individuals, companies or vendors, including names, addresses,
24 telephone numbers or e-mail addresses that are procured,
25 compiled, maintained or produced with Senate funds.
26 "Own time." A Senate employee's time that is distinct from
27 Senate work time and includes all leave.
28 "Principal." Any individual, association, corporation,
29 partnership, business trust or other entity that is registered
30 as a principal under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 13A.
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 1 "Senate employee." A person employed by the Senate,
2 including the Chief Clerk and the Secretary of the Senate.
3 "Senate employee in a supervisory position." A Senate
4 employee who has a general supervisory role within: a caucus; an
5 individual Senator's office; or a Senate services office.
6 "Senate office." All Senate offices and Senate conference or
7 meeting rooms located in the Capitol complex or any similar
8 space contained within a district office.
9 "Senate resources." Senate-owned or Senate-leased equipment
10 including telephones, computer hardware or software, copiers,
11 scanners, fax machines, file cabinets or other office furniture,
12 cell phones, personal digital assistants or similar electronic
13 devices and office supplies.
14 "Senate work time." Publicly paid work time consisting in
15 the aggregate of 75 hours every two weeks for full-time
16 employees and a lesser amount of publicly paid hours every two
17 weeks for part-time employees.
18 "Senator." A person elected to serve in the Pennsylvania
19 Senate from each of the fifty Senatorial districts.
20 Rule 2. Practice.
21 (a) Work time.--No campaign activity may be conducted by a
22 Senate employee on Senate work time. The following shall apply:
23 (1) Senate employees are permitted to engage in campaign
24 activities on their own time, as volunteers or for pay.
25 (2) Senate employees may work irregular hours often
26 depending upon the time the Senate is in session. As a
27 result, a staffer's own time can occur during what may be
28 considered "normal" business hours.
29 (3) Sick leave, family and medical leave, work-related
30 disability leave, parental leave, short-term disability
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 1 leave, civil leave or military leave cannot be requested by a
2 Senate employee to perform campaign activities.
3 (4) No Senate employee may be allowed any amount of
4 Senate work time for time spent doing campaign activities.
5 (5) Senate employees, with the permission of their
6 employing Senator, may reduce their Senate hours with a
7 commensurate reduction in pay (and benefits, as required) to
8 perform campaign activities. These arrangements must be
9 memorialized in writing and filed with the Chief Clerk.
10 (6) Any Senate employee who has reduced his or her
11 Senate hours to perform campaign activities shall keep a
12 daily written log outlining Senate hours and related work
13 responsibilities.
14 (b) Office and resources.--No campaign activity may be
15 conducted by a Senator or a Senate employee in a Senate office
16 or with Senate resources.
17 (1) De minimis campaign activities may be unavoidable
18 for a Senator or Senate employee in the course of their
19 official duties. Examples include the following:
20 (i) In responding to inquiries from the public, a
21 Senator or a Senate employee may need to address
22 questions that relate to a Senator's or other candidate's
23 campaign for elective office or a related legislative
24 record.
25 (ii) Scheduling assistance and information from the
26 Senator or a Senate employee may be provided to ensure
27 that no conflict occurs among the Senator's campaign
28 schedule, official schedule and personal schedule.
29 (iii) Engaging in political conversation in the
30 natural course of personal communication.
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 1 (2) Unsolicited campaign-related communication on a
2 personally owned cell phone, personal digital assistant or
3 similar electronic device may occur on a de minimis basis in
4 a Senate office but may not interfere with Senate work time.
5 (3) A Senator's official Senate website, social media
6 website or other electronic media website shall not contain a
7 link to a campaign website for any candidate. A Senator's
8 campaign website shall not contain a link to his or her
9 official Senate website. A Senate employee who is on Senate
10 work time and using Senate resources may post legislative
11 materials, media advisories, news releases and announcements
12 on a social media website or other electronic media website,
13 which is not a campaign website for any candidate, even if
14 campaign-related information also exists on such a website. A
15 Senate employee who is on his or her own time and using
16 personal resources may post material involving or referring
17 to campaign activity on a social media website or other
18 electronic media website.
19 (c) Contributions.--The solicitation or receipt of campaign
20 contributions on Senate work time or with Senate resources is
21 prohibited.
22 (1) Solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions in
23 a Senate office or with Senate resources is prohibited at any
24 and all times.
25 (2) If an unsolicited contribution is sent to a Senate
26 office through the mail or in an unidentifiable form, the
27 employee who receives it shall turn it over to the campaign
28 within no more than seven days and immediately notify the
29 donor that campaign contributions should not be received at a
30 Senate office.
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 1 (3) No Senate employee may serve as an officer on a
2 campaign committee or a campaign finance committee on behalf
3 of any Senator, Senate candidate or Senate caucus.
4 (4) A Senate employee may help plan and may provide
5 assistance at a campaign event on his or her own time.
6 (d) Employees.--No Senate employee may be required to
7 perform any campaign activity or make any campaign contribution.
8 (1) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
9 Senator's behalf and no Senate employee in a supervisory
10 position may require a Senate employee to perform any
11 campaign activity on Senate work time or on the employee's
12 own time as a condition of employment.
13 (2) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
14 Senator's behalf and no Senate employee in a supervisory
15 position may require any Senate employee to make a campaign
16 contribution as a condition of employment.
17 (3) A Senate employee who agrees or offers to
18 participate in any campaign activity on his or her own time
19 or who makes a campaign contribution may not do so in
20 consideration of receiving any additional Senate compensation
21 or employee benefit in the form of a salary adjustment,
22 bonus, compensatory time off, continued employment or any
23 other similar benefit.
24 (4) A Senate employee who declines to participate in a
25 campaign activity or to make a campaign contribution shall
26 not be sanctioned for that refusal.
27 (e) Mass communications.--
28 (1) No Senate-funded mass communication shall be
29 distributed at the direction or on behalf of any Senate
30 member within 60 days of the primary or general election at
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 1 which any Senate member is a candidate for the office of
2 Senate or any other elective office.
3 (2) This subsection shall apply to a mass communication
4 printed or distributed by the Senate or by an outside vendor
5 paid for with public funds.
6 (3) The Chief Clerk of the Senate may not authorize the
7 reimbursement or payment of any money expended for print,
8 distribution or postage costs related to the distribution of
9 a mass communication incurred after the 60-day deadline.
10 (4) Senators who are candidates for the office of Senate
11 or any other elective office shall submit to the Secretary of
12 the Senate a final proof copy of a printed mass
13 communication, including, but not limited to, a newsletter or
14 printed mailing within the term of "mass communication" as
15 defined in Rule 1, no less than 90 days prior to the next
16 occurring primary or general election.
17 (5) Nothing in this subsection shall apply to a mass
18 communication:
19 (i) sent by a Senate member who does not have an
20 opponent in the next occurring primary or general
21 election at which the Senate member is a candidate for
22 the office of Senate or any other elective office;
23 (ii) in response to inquiries or affirmative
24 requests from persons to whom the matter is communicated;
25 (iii) that is sent to colleagues in the General
26 Assembly or other government officials;
27 (iv) that consists entirely of news releases to the
28 communications media;
29 (v) that relates to information in connection with a
30 declared emergency;
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 1 (vi) that relates to legal notices required by
2 Federal or State law;
3 (vii) that is an electronic newsletter to
4 constituents who are subscribed to receive the electronic
5 newsletter; or
6 (viii) that is a post on a Senate member's office
7 website or official social media page available to
8 voluntary followers, subject to the limitations specified
9 in this rule.
10 (f) Official Senate contact lists.--Official Senate contact
11 lists shall be used solely for legislative purposes.
12 (1) Official Senate contact lists shall not be provided
13 to any candidate, political party, political committee,
14 campaign or campaign committee or used for any campaign
15 purpose.
16 (2) Senate time and resources shall not be used to
17 create, store or maintain any list that identifies the listed
18 individuals as campaign volunteers or contributors to any
19 candidate, political party, political committee, campaign or
20 campaign committee.
21 (3) No list may be developed by a Senator or a Senate
22 employee using Senate time and resources for the purpose of
23 monitoring or tracking campaign activity or campaign
24 contributions of any Senate employee.
25 (4) Official Senate contact lists may be purchased at
26 fair market value from a private source with Senate funds if
27 the lists are used solely for legislative purposes. An
28 official Senate contact list that is so acquired may not be
29 used or redirected in the same or a modified form for
30 campaign purposes.
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 1 (g) Non-work-related tasks.--No Senate employee may be
2 required to perform any non-work-related task.
3 (1) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
4 Sen