(a) As used in this article:
(i) "Anything of value" means:
(A) A pecuniary item, including money or a bank
bill or note;
(B) A promissory note, bill of exchange, order,
draft, warrant, check or bond given for the payment of money;
(C) A contract, agreement, promise or other
obligation for an advance, conveyance, forgiveness of
indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge
or transfer of money;
(D) A stock, bond, note or other investment
interest in an entity;
(E) A right in action;
(F) A gift, tangible good, chattel or an
interest in a gift, tangible good or chattel;
(G) A work of art, antique or collectible;
(H) An automobile or other means of personal
transportation;
(J) Real property or an interest in real
property, including title to realty, a fee simple or partial
interest, present or future, contingent or vested within realty,
a leasehold interest or other beneficial interest in realty;
(K) An honorarium or compensation for services
arising out of the person's service as a public official, public
member or public employee;
(M) The sale or trade of anything of value:
(I) For reasonable consideration that would
ordinarily not be available to a member of the public; or
(II) With a rebate or at a discount in its
price, unless the rebate or discount is made in the ordinary
course of business to a member of the public, or any group or
category thereof, but without regard to that person's status as
a public official, public member or public employee.
(N) A promise or offer of employment;
(O) Any other thing of value that is pecuniary
or compensatory in value to a person.
(ii) "Anything of value" does not mean a campaign
contribution properly received and reported, if reportable, as
required under the Wyoming Election Code;
(iii) "Compensation" includes:
(A) An advance, conveyance, forgiveness of
indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge
or transfer of money or anything of value; or
(B) A contract, agreement, promise or other
obligation for an advance, conveyance, forgiveness of
indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge
or transfer of money or anything of value, for services rendered
or to be rendered.
(iv) "Compensation" does not include:
(A) Reimbursement of expenses if the
reimbursement does not exceed the amount actually expended for
the expenses, and if the reimbursement is substantiated by an
itemization of expenses; or
(B) Per diem payments or mileage allowances paid
by the employing government entity in accordance with applicable
law.
(v) "Family member" means an individual:
(A) Who is the spouse, parent, sibling, child,
grandparent or grandchild; or
(B) Is a member of the individual's household.
(vi) "Gift" means anything of value to the extent
that consideration of equal or greater value is not received,
but excludes the following:
(A) Printed informational, educational or
promotional material;
(B) A gift that:
(I) Is not used; and
(II) No later than thirty (30) days after
receipt, is returned to the donor or delivered to a charitable
organization and is not claimed as a charitable contribution for
federal income tax purposes.
(C) A gift, devise or inheritance from any of
the following, if the donor is not acting as the agent or
intermediary for someone other than a person covered by this
subparagraph:
(I) An individual's spouse;
(II) An individual's child, parent,
grandparent, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law,
sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle or first cousin;
(III) The spouse of any individual listed
in subdivision (II) of this subparagraph;
(IV) Any person, including an organization,
which has a bona fide social or private business relationship
with the individual, where the circumstances demonstrate that
the motivation for the gift arises out of that relationship and
not from the recipient's holding of public office or employment.
For the purposes of this subdivision, relevant circumstances
include but are not limited to the source of funds used by the
donor to acquire the gift;
(V) Any person, including an organization,
where the gift does result from the person's holding an office
or position, but where the gift is of nominal value, is made
voluntarily by the donor and is made in recognition of a special
occasion, such as marriage, illness or retirement.
(D) A certificate, commemorative token or item,
or plaque with a value that does not exceed two hundred fifty
dollars ($250.00);
(E) Food and beverage;
(F) Compensation, per diem or other payments or
benefits which the public official, public member or public
employee receives in the performance of services for the
governmental entity;
(G) Repealed By Laws 1999, ch. 140, § 2.
(H) Any loan, gift, gratuity, special discount
or hospitality with a value of two hundred fifty dollars
($250.00) or less; or
(J) Travel, registration and lodging for any
conference or meeting while attending in his official capacity
as a public official, public member or public employee.
(vii) "Local office" means the offices of county
commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, county clerk,
county sheriff, county coroner, district attorney, county
attorney, clerk of the district court, mayor and member of the
council of a municipality, member of the board of trustees of a
community college district or a school district and member of a
joint powers board or special district. As used in this
paragraph "special district" means any special district
specified under W.S. 22-29-103(a) and any other corporate
district authorized to be formed as a political subdivision
under the laws of this state;
(viii) "Negotiating" or "negotiate for employment"
means a communication, directly or indirectly, with a
prospective employer to discuss rendering services for
compensation to that prospective employer;
(ix) "Negotiation for employment" means the period
that begins with a communication to a prospective employer to
discuss rendering services for compensation to the prospective
employer;
(x) "Official responsibility or official capacity"
means the direct administrative or operating authority, whether
intermediate or final, and either exercisable alone or with
others, and either personally or through subordinates, to
approve, disapprove, or otherwise direct government action;
(xi) "Participation" includes decision, approval,
disapproval or vote;
(xii) "Public employee" means any of the following
state employees:
(A) The attorney general and the director of any
department of the executive branch appointed by the governor
under W.S. 9-2-1706, or the director of any legislative agency;
(B) The chief executive officer of any separate
operating agency under W.S. 9-2-1704(d), except those listed in
paragraphs (d)(vi) and (x) of that section;
(C) To the extent the incumbent in the position
serves at the pleasure of persons listed in subparagraphs (A)
and (B) of this section, administrators of department or agency
divisions, and deputy directors of departments;
(D) Commissioners of the public service
commission and members of the state board of equalization;
(E) Deputies and administrators of divisions
within the offices of state elected officials under W.S.
9-2-1704(a). The positions, in the governor's office, of chief
of staff, attorney for intergovernmental affairs and chief of
policy are included within this subparagraph.
(xiii) "Public member" means a member appointed to a
part-time position on a state board, commission or council. A
public member does not lose this status by receiving
reimbursement of expenses or a per diem payment for services.
The term includes a member of the board of trustees of the
University of Wyoming and the community college commission. The
term does not include a public member of an advisory board,
advisory commission or advisory council;
(xiv) "Public official" means an individual elected
to a state or local office, or an individual who is appointed to
fill a vacancy in a state or local office, whether or not the
individual has yet assumed the office;
(xv) "State entity" means a state agency, office,
department, division, bureau, board, commission or council,
including the legislature, Wyoming community development
authority and Wyoming science, technology and energy authority.
The term does not include a court or an agency in the judicial
branch;
(xvi) "State office" means the state offices of
governor, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction,
auditor, secretary of state and member of the state legislature;
(xvii) "This act" means W.S. 9-13-101 through