CORRECT ANSWER:

YES. Even though CSL is a nonprofit organization that receives more than 5% of its funding from for-profit sources, due to your expertise in the area of wildfires and your position as chair of the House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee and the Joint Wildfire Interim Committee, your attendance at this educational conference would actually benefit the General Assembly rather than just you as an individual is CORRECT.

PS 12-01 from the Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) provides that if the offer would actually benefit the government institution (here, the General Assembly) rather than just you as an individual, then you may be able to accept the payment of expenses to attend an educational conference. In this case, because you were invited to attend and participate in the conference due to your position as chair of the House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee and the Joint Wildfire Interim Committee, because this is an area of expertise for you, and because it is an educational conference and not just an opportunity to network, it would be appropriate for you to accept the payment of expenses associated with attending this conference under the IEC's PS 12-01, provided there is neither an existing or potential conflict of interest nor an appearance of impropriety. You should not accept the golf outing, unless you pay for it separately yourself.

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