$170 in gifts from UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO in 2026, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies
Their own gift reports list 4 items from UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO received in 2026, worth $170.00 in all: Succulent basket ($14.00); Alpacca succulent ($58.00); Cu regent emeriti reception and cu boulder basketball game ($38.00); Cu branded dixxon flannel shirt ($60.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. University Of Colorado is a public body; when it pays for an official's own duties (travel, events they attend in office) that isn't a gift from a private source. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.
- Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
- The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
- The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).
Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit
“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works