State ethics panel says free tickets OK for officials
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Ethics Commission said Wednesday it's OK for public officials and public employees to receive free tickets to three charity-based sporting events in the Birmingham area.
But the commission said the free tickets and other hospitality can't extend beyond three days for any event, and there can be no expensive gift bags given to public officials and employees.
The commission voted 4-0 for three advisory opinions Wednesday that were requested by Gene Hallman, president of the Bruno Event Team.
Hallman's company organizes the events for the nonprofit charities, and that nonprofit status was a key part of the commission's opinions, said Jim Sumner, the commission's executive director.
The commission's opinions involved the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament in May, Regions Charity Classic golf tournament in May, and Magic City Classic football game between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University in October.
The main effect will be on the baseball and golf events because they last more than three days, but the football game also has preliminary events, including luncheons and a reception.
"If it exceeds three days, they are in violation of the law," Ethics Commission attorney Hugh Evans said.
Hallman's company is a major organizer of sporting events, not only in Alabama but in other states. He did not attend the commission meeting, but when contacted later he said, "We were already doing all this."
Hallman said he asked for the advisory opinions to make sure his company was doing the right thing.
The Bruno Event Team organizes the football and baseball games for the Alabama Sports Foundation and the golf tournament for the Regions Charity Classic Foundation. Both foundations are nonprofit charities. Some free tickets are distributed by the foundations. Plus, the foundations provides tickets to paid sponsors of the sporting events, and the sponsors distribute them. Tickets can be for admission to the events and to hospitality suites.
The commission estimated the value for a couple getting invited to a hospitality suite at the Magic City Classic at being worth $466.
Normally, someone providing more than $250 a day in free tickets or hospitality to a public official's family has to report it to the Ethics Commission. But the commission said the ethics law exempts the reporting requirements for expenditures made to or on behalf of nonprofit charitable groups.
The commission said a public official must not receive any direct financial benefit from the free tickets and other hospitality, and the hospitality can't exceed three days.
For instance, a public official couldn't play in the pro-am part of the golf tournament on Wednesday and Thursday and then accept free tickets to the professional part of the tournament on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the commission said.
