KRS 6.761: Conflict of interest provisions -- Penalty.

(1) A legislator shall not intentionally participate in the discussion of a question in

committee or on the floor of the General Assembly, vote, or make a decision in his

official capacity on any matter:

(a) In which he, or any member of his family, or the legislator's business associate

will derive a direct monetary gain or suffer a direct monetary loss as a result of

his vote or decision; or

(b) Which relates specifically to a business in which he owns or controls an

interest of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, or an interest of more than

five percent (5%).

Violation of this provision is a Class D felony. The provisions of this subsection

notwithstanding, a legislator may vote on legislation affecting his salary, expenses,

benefits, and allowances, as provided by law. The provisions of this subsection

notwithstanding, a legislator may participate in the discussion of the question in

committee and on the floor of the General Assembly, vote, or make a decision on a

matter if any benefit or detriment which accrues to the member of the General

Assembly, as a member of a business, profession, occupation, or other group, or to a

member of his family or a business interest specified in subsection (1)(b) of this

section is of no greater extent than the benefit o r detriment which accrues generally

to other members of the business, profession, occupation, or other group;

(2) A legislator who has a personal or private interest in a bill proposed or pending

before the General Assembly shall be subject to the limitati ons of Section 57 of the

Constitution of Kentucky, which provides that the legislator shall disclose his

interest to the house of which he is a member and refrain from voting upon pain of

expulsion. A member shall disclose his interest by filing a disclosure statement with

the clerk or by a verbal announcement to the body.

(3) The right of legislators to represent their constituencies, however, is of such major

importance that legislators should be barred from voting on matters of direct

personal interest only in clear cases and if the matter is particularly personal.