Executive Branch Ethics Act

Responsibilities of Agency Designated Ethics Supervisors

The designated ethics supervisor for each department in the executive branch is the commissioner. The designated ethics supervisor for the University of Alaska is the president. These officials typically delegate the responsibility to another public officer. The designated ethics supervisor for the commissioner is the governor, who has delegated this responsibility to Cheryl Lowenstein, Administrative Director of the Office of the Governor.

Designated ethics supervisors should refer to the 2019 Designated Ethics Supervisors Handbook (503KB PDF), available from the state ethics attorney, regarding their responsibilities under the Ethics Act. Briefly, as designated ethics supervisor, you must --

1. Ensure that your personnel office provides a copy of the guide, Ethics Information for Public Employees, to all new employees -- and keeps a supply of disclosure forms.
   • This guide, other educational materials, disclosure forms, statutes and regulations are available for review and copying on the Department of Law ethics website. If access to this page is not available, please contact the Attorney General's office at 269-5275.
2. Review all disclosures, investigate potential ethics violations, make determinations regarding conduct, and take action.
3. Remind employees to report their outside employment (see disclosure form) at least once each calendar year (July 1). The Department of Law will send you a reminder in June.
4. Keep employee disclosure statements (of potential violations, outside employment, receipt of gifts, and interests in grants/contracts/leases/loans) on file in your office. Disclosure of a gift received from another government must be forwarded to the Office of the Governor.
5. Submit an ethics report to the Department of Law in April, July, October, and January for the preceding quarter. You will receive a reminder. There is a sample report on the ethics web page.
   • Mail, email or fax to Jennifer L. Williams, Paralegal, Department of Law, Opinions, Appeals & Ethics Section, 1031 W. 4th Avenue, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK, 99501, ethicsreporting@alaska.gov, fax no. 907-258-4978.

You may request ethics advice from your agency's Assistant Attorney General or from the State Ethics Attorney, Matthew Stinson, at 907-269-6612 or matthew.stinson@alaska.gov. Please direct questions about reporting procedures to Jennifer L. Williams at 375-7774 or jennifer.williams1@alaska.gov.

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