PRINTER'S NO. 4
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 4
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY L. WILLIAMS, JANUARY 7, 2025
INTRODUCED, 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 of 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 "Discrimination." An adverse employment action based on a
29 protected classification.
30 "Harassment." Unwelcome conduct based on an individual's
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 1 protected classification when:
2 (1) submission to the conduct is made either an explicit
3 or implicit term or condition of employment;
4 (2) submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as
5 the basis for an employment decision; or
6 (3) the conduct is so frequent or severe that it creates
7 a hostile or offensive work environment.
8 "Lobbyist." Any individual, firm, association, corporation,
9 partnership, business trust or other entity that is registered
10 as a lobbyist under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 13A (relating to lobbying
11 disclosure).
12 "Newsletter." A printed document more than one page in
13 length that addresses more than one subject and is printed in
14 quantities of 25,000 copies or more.
15 "Official action." An administrative action or legislative
16 action, as those terms are defined in 65 Pa.C.S. § 13A03
17 (relating to definitions).
18 "Official Senate contact lists." Any list containing
19 individuals, companies or vendors, including names, addresses,
20 telephone numbers or e-mail addresses that are procured,
21 compiled, maintained or produced with Senate funds.
22 "Own time." A Senate employee's time that is distinct from
23 Senate work time and includes all leave.
24 "Principal." Any individual, association, corporation,
25 partnership, business trust or other entity that is registered
26 as a principal under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 13A.
27 "Senate employee." A person employed by the Senate,
28 including the Chief Clerk and the Secretary of the Senate.
29 "Senate employee in a supervisory position." A Senate
30 employee who has a general supervisory role within: a caucus; an
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 1 individual Senator's office; or a Senate services office.
2 "Senate office." All Senate offices and Senate conference or
3 meeting rooms located in the Capitol complex or any similar
4 space contained within a district office.
5 "Senate resources." Senate-owned or Senate-leased equipment
6 including telephones, computer hardware or software, copiers,
7 scanners, fax machines, file cabinets or other office furniture,
8 cell phones, personal digital assistants or similar electronic
9 devices and office supplies.
10 "Senate work time." Publicly paid work time consisting in
11 the aggregate of 75 hours every two weeks for full-time
12 employees and a lesser amount of publicly paid hours every two
13 weeks for part-time employees.
14 "Senator." A person elected to serve in the Pennsylvania
15 Senate from each of the fifty Senatorial districts.
16 "Sexual harassment." Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for
17 sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
18 nature.
19 Rule 2. Practice.
20 (a) Work time.--No campaign activity may be conducted by a
21 Senate employee on Senate work time. The following shall apply:
22 (1) Senate employees are permitted to engage in campaign
23 activities on their own time, as volunteers or for pay.
24 (2) Senate employees may work irregular hours often
25 depending upon the time the Senate is in session. As a
26 result, a staffer's own time can occur during what may be
27 considered "normal" business hours.
28 (3) Sick leave, family and medical leave, work-related
29 disability leave, parental leave, short-term disability
30 leave, civil leave or military leave cannot be requested by a
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 1 Senate employee to perform campaign activities.
2 (4) No Senate employee may be allowed any amount of
3 Senate work time for time spent doing campaign activities.
4 (5) Senate employees, with the permission of their
5 employing Senator, may reduce their Senate hours with a
6 commensurate reduction in pay (and benefits, as required) to
7 perform campaign activities. These arrangements must be
8 memorialized in writing and filed with the Chief Clerk.
9 (6) Any Senate employee who has reduced his or her
10 Senate hours to perform campaign activities shall keep a
11 daily written log outlining Senate hours and related work
12 responsibilities.
13 (b) Office and resources.--No campaign activity may be
14 conducted by a Senator or a Senate employee in a Senate office
15 or with Senate resources.
16 (1) De minimis campaign activities may be unavoidable
17 for a Senator or Senate employee in the course of their
18 official duties. Examples include the following:
19 (i) In responding to inquiries from the public, a
20 Senator or a Senate employee may need to address
21 questions that relate to a Senator's or other candidate's
22 campaign for elective office or a related legislative
23 record.
24 (ii) Scheduling assistance and information from the
25 Senator or a Senate employee may be provided to ensure
26 that no conflict occurs among the Senator's campaign
27 schedule, official schedule and personal schedule.
28 (iii) Engaging in political conversation in the
29 natural course of personal communication.
30 (2) Unsolicited campaign-related communication on a
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 1 personally owned cell phone, personal digital assistant or
2 similar electronic device may occur on a de minimis basis in
3 a Senate office but may not interfere with Senate work time.
4 (3) A Senator's official Senate website, social media
5 website or other electronic media website shall not contain a
6 link to a campaign website for any candidate. A Senator's
7 campaign website shall not contain a link to his or her
8 official Senate website. A Senate employee who is on Senate
9 work time and using Senate resources may post legislative
10 materials, media advisories, news releases and announcements
11 on a social media website or other electronic media website,
12 which is not a campaign website for any candidate, even if
13 campaign-related information also exists on such a website. A
14 Senate employee who is on his or her own time and using
15 personal resources may post material involving or referring
16 to campaign activity on a social media website or other
17 electronic media website.
18 (c) Contributions.--The solicitation or receipt of campaign
19 contributions on Senate work time or with Senate resources is
20 prohibited.
21 (1) Solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions in
22 a Senate office or with Senate resources is prohibited at any
23 and all times.
24 (2) If an unsolicited contribution is sent to a Senate
25 office through the mail or in an unidentifiable form, the
26 employee who receives it shall turn it over to the campaign
27 within no more than seven days and immediately notify the
28 donor that campaign contributions should not be received at a
29 Senate office.
30 (3) No Senate employee may serve as an officer on a
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 1 campaign committee or a campaign finance committee on behalf
2 of any Senator, Senate candidate or Senate caucus.
3 (4) A Senate employee may help plan and may provide
4 assistance at a campaign event on his or her own time.
5 (d) Employees.--No Senate employee may be required to
6 perform any campaign activity or make any campaign contribution.
7 (1) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
8 Senator's behalf and no Senate employee in a supervisory
9 position may require a Senate employee to perform any
10 campaign activity on Senate work time or on the employee's
11 own time as a condition of employment.
12 (2) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
13 Senator's behalf and no Senate employee in a supervisory
14 position may require any Senate employee to make a campaign
15 contribution as a condition of employment.
16 (3) A Senate employee who agrees or offers to
17 participate in any campaign activity on his or her own time
18 or who makes a campaign contribution may not do so in
19 consideration of receiving any additional Senate compensation
20 or employee benefit in the form of a salary adjustment,
21 bonus, compensatory time off, continued employment or any
22 other similar benefit.
23 (4) A Senate employee who declines to participate in a
24 campaign activity or to make a campaign contribution shall
25 not be sanctioned for that refusal.
26 (e) Newsletters.--No Senate-funded newsletter may be printed
27 or distributed within 60 days of the primary or general election
28 at which any Senate member is a candidate for the office of
29 Senate or any other elective office.
30 (1) This subsection shall apply to newsletters printed
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 1 by the Senate or by an outside vendor paid for with public
2 funds.
3 (2) The Chief Clerk of the Senate may not authorize the
4 reimbursement or payment of any money expended for print,
5 distribution or postage incurred after the 60-day deadline.
6 (3) Senators who are candidates for the office of the
7 Senate or any other elective office shall submit to the
8 Secretary of the Senate a final proof copy of any newsletters
9 no less than 90 days prior to the next occurring primary or
10 general election.
11 (f) Official Senate contact lists.--Official Senate contact
12 lists shall be used solely for legislative purposes.
13 (1) Official Senate contact lists shall not be provided
14 to any candidate, political party, political committee,
15 campaign or campaign committee or used for any campaign
16 purpose.
17 (2) Senate time and resources shall not be used to
18 create, store or maintain any list that identifies the listed
19 individuals as campaign volunteers or contributors to any
20 candidate, political party, political committee, campaign or
21 campaign committee.
22 (3) No list may be developed by a Senator or a Senate
23 employee using Senate time and resources for the purpose of
24 monitoring or tracking campaign activity or campaign
25 contributions of any Senate employee.
26 (4) Official Senate contact lists may be purchased at
27 fair market value from a private source with Senate funds if
28 the lists are used solely for legislative purposes. An
29 official Senate contact list that is so acquired may not be
30 used or redirected in the same or a modified form for
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 1 campaign purposes.
2 (g) Non-work-related tasks.--No Senate employee may be
3 required to perform any non-work-related task.
4 (1) No Senator, no Senate employee acting on the
5 Senator's behalf and no Senate employee in a supervisory
6 position may require a Senate employee to perform tasks
7 unrelated to the Senate employee's official duties as a
8 condition of employment.
9 (2) An employee who agrees or offers to perform a task
10 unrelated to that person's official duties on his or her own
11 time may not do so in consideration of receiving any
12 additional State Senate compensation or employee benefit in
13 the form of a salary adjustment, bonus, compensatory time
14 off, continued employment or any other public benefit.
15 (3) An employee who refuses to perform a task unrelated
16 to that person's official duties cannot be sanctioned for
17 that refusal.
18 (h) Cash gifts.--No Senator or Senate employee shall accept
19 or solicit a cash gift from any of the following:
20 (1) A lobbyist or principal.
21 (2) A person that is seeking official action from the
22 Senator or Senate employee.
23 Rule 3. Professional conduct.
24 (a) Discrimination and harassment.--The Senate is committed
25 to creating and maintaining a work environment free from
26 discrimination and harassment. No member or officer of the
27 Senate shall engage in discrimination or harassment, including
28 sexual harassment of:
29 (1) another member or officer of the Senate or Senate
30 employee; or
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 1 (2) any individual:
2 (i) while performing services or duties of the
3 Senate;
4 (ii) in or on Senate designated offices, property or
5