EXECUTIVE ORDER
18-10

 

WHEREAS, Executive Order 17-02 was signed on January 9, 2017, which adopted a code of conduct for certain state employees of the executive branch; and

WHEREAS, certain provisions of the order are in need of revision and improvement; and

WHEREAS, this administration wishes to renew the commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards for employees of the executive branch; and

WHEREAS, integrity in state government is vitally important to ensure that the needs of our state's citizens are being served:

NOW THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL L. PARSON, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, including the provisions of Section 105.969, RSMo, do hereby order that state employees of the executive branch (except employees of elected officials who are required by law to establish codes of conduct for their offices) adhere to this code of conduct:

  1. No state employee of the executive branch shall knowingly solicit or accept any gift from a lobbyist. The term "gift" shall have the same meaning as the term "expenditure" in Section 105.470(3), RSMo. The term "lobbyist" shall have the same meaning as in Section 105.470(6), RSMo.
  2. No employee of the Office of the Governor shall act as an executive lobbyist until the end of the administration in which he or she served. The term "executive lobbyist" shall have the same meaning as in Section 105.470(2), RSMo.
  3. No state employee of the executive branch shall participate in a proceeding or decision in which the state employee's impartiality might reasonably be questioned due to the state employee's personal or financial relationship with a participant in the proceeding.
  4. No state employee of the executive branch shall enter into or derive any benefit, directly or indirectly, from any contractual arrangement with the State of Missouri or any state agency if such arrangement is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of the employee's official duties.
  5. Any state employee of the executive branch who violates this Order is subject to disciplinary action including, but not limited to, termination of employment.
  6. This Order is intended to provide guidance to state employees of the executive branch in matters of employment-related conduct and is not intended to fully prescribe the proper conduct of employees nor to create any right or benefit enforceable by law. The failure to prohibit an employee action in this Order does not constitute approval of the action. This Order is intended as a supplement to the provisions in law that govern employee conduct, and shall not be construed to decrease the requirements in law. State agency directors are responsible for promoting and enforcing this Order among the employees of their agencies in accordance with their respective agency procedures, and shall supplement it with additional provisions to meet the needs of their agencies. No state agency or appointing authority shall discharge, threaten, or otherwise retaliate against an employee for reporting in good faith any violation of this Order.

This Order shall supersede Executive Order 17-02 and any other previous Order that is inconsistent with the terms contained herein.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 20th day of November, 2018.

[Michael L. Parson's signature]
MICHAEL L. PARSON
GOVERNOR

ATTEST:

[Jay Ashcroft's signature]
John R. Ashcroft
Secretary of State

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