Advisory Opinion No. 2000-86

Re: Robert L. Ricci

QUESTION PRESENTED

The petitioner, the Providence/Cranston Workforce Development Office Administrator, requests an advisory opinion on behalf of the Providence/Cranston Workforce Investment Board (WIB), regional appointed positions, as to whether non-board members who serve on the WIB’s Youth Council are required to file annual financial statements.

RESPONSE

It is the opinion of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission that members of the Providence/Cranston Workforce Investment Board’s (WIB) Youth Council are not required to file financial disclosure statements. The Code of Ethics requires all state and municipal elected and appointed officials to file annual financial statements with the Ethics Commission. R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-16(a). The Code defines a state or municipal appointed official as any officer or member of a state or municipal agency who is a) appointed for a term of office specified by the constitution or by statute, ordinance or charter, or b) appointed by or through the governing body or highest official of state or municipal government. R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-2(2); Regulation 36-14-2002(2) and (4). Here, the petitioner represents that the WIB appoints the members of the Youth Council. Further, they do not serve a term of office specified by statute, charter, or ordinance. Accordingly, the Youth Council members are not “state or municipal appointed officials” within the meaning of R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-4, Regulation 36-14-2002 or R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-16, and are not required to file financial disclosure statements.

Code Citations:

36-14-2

36-14-4

36-14-16

Related Advisory Opinions:

99-65

98-138

98-85

98-62

97-134

97-87

97-70

96-51

96-50

96-40

96-39

96-38

96-37

Keywords:

Financial disclosure