Ind. Code ch. 35-44.1-1

in effect

Ind. Code § 35-44.1-1-1 Official misconduct

Sec. 1. A public servant who knowingly or intentionally: (1) commits an offense in the performance of the public servant's official duties; (2) solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept from an appointee or employee any property other than what the public servant is authorized by law to accept as a condition of continued employment; (3) acquires or divests himself or herself of a pecuniary interest in any property, transaction, or enterprise or aids another person to do so based on information obtained by virtue of the public servant's office that official action that has not been made public is contemplated; or (4) fails to deliver public records and property in the public servant's custody to the public servant's successor in office when that successor qualifies; commits official misconduct, a Level 6 felony. As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.496.

Ind. Code § 35-44.1-1-2 Bribery

Sec. 2. (a) A person who: (1) confers, offers, or agrees to confer on a public servant, either before or after the public servant becomes appointed, elected, or qualified, any property, except property the public servant is authorized by law to accept, with intent to control the performance of an act related to the employment or function of the public servant or because of any official act performed or to be performed by the public servant, former public servant, or person selected to be a public servant; (2) being a public servant, solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept, either before or after the person becomes appointed, elected, or qualified, any property, except property the person is authorized by law to accept, with intent to control the performance of an act related to the person's employment or function as a public servant; (3) confers, offers, or agrees to confer on a person any property, except property the person is authorized by law to accept, with intent to cause that person to control the performance of an act related to the employment or function of a public servant; (4) solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept any property, except property the person is authorized by law to accept, with intent to control the performance of an act related to the employment or function of a public servant; (5) confers, offers, or agrees to confer any property on a person participating or officiating in, or connected with, an athletic contest, sporting event, or exhibition, with intent that the person will fail to use the person's best efforts in connection with that contest, event, or exhibition; (6) being a person participating in, officiating in, or connected with an athletic contest, sporting event, or exhibition, solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept any property with intent that the person will fail to use the person's best efforts in connection with that contest, event, or exhibition; (7) being a witness or informant in an official proceeding or investigation, solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept any property, with intent to: (A) withhold any testimony, information, document, or thing; (B) avoid legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence; or (C) absent the person from the proceeding or investigation to which the person has been legally summoned; (8) confers, offers, or agrees to confer any property on a witness or informant in an official proceeding or investigation, with intent that the witness or informant: (A) withhold any testimony, information, document, or thing; (B) avoid legal process summoning the witness or informant to testify or supply evidence; or (C) absent himself or herself from any proceeding or investigation to which the witness or informant has been legally summoned; or (9) confers or offers or agrees to confer any property on an individual for: (A) casting a ballot or refraining from casting a ballot; or (B) voting for a political party, for a candidate, or for or against a public question; in an election described in IC 3-5-1-2 or at a convention of a political party authorized under IC 3; commits bribery, a Level 5 felony. (b) It is not a defense that the person whom the accused person sought to control was not qualified to act in the desired way. As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.497.

Ind. Code § 35-44.1-1-3 Ghost employment

Sec. 3. (a) A public servant who knowingly or intentionally: (1) hires an employee for the governmental entity that the public servant serves; and (2) fails to assign to the employee any duties, or assigns to the employee any duties not related to the operation of the governmental entity; commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony. (b) A public servant who knowingly or intentionally assigns to an employee under the public servant's supervision any duties not related to the operation of the governmental entity that the public servant serves commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony. (c) A person employed by a governmental entity who, knowing that the person has not been assigned any duties to perform for the entity, accepts property from the entity commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony. (d) A person employed by a governmental entity who knowingly or intentionally accepts property from the entity for the performance of duties not related to the operation of the entity commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony. (e) Any person who accepts property from a governmental entity in violation of this section and any public servant who permits the payment of property in violation of this section are jointly and severally liable to the governmental entity for that property. The attorney general may bring a civil action to recover that property in the county where the governmental entity is located or the person or public servant resides. (f) For the purposes of this section, an employee of a governmental entity who voluntarily performs services: (1) that do not: (A) promote religion; (B) attempt to influence legislation or governmental policy; or (C) attempt to influence elections to public office; (2) for the benefit of: (A) another governmental entity; or (B) an organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (3) with the approval of the employee's supervisor; and (4) in compliance with a policy or regulation that: (A) is in writing; (B) is issued by the executive officer of the governmental entity; and (C) contains a limitation on the total time during any calendar year that the employee may spend performing the services during normal hours of employment; is considered to be performing duties related to the operation of the governmental entity. As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.498.

Ind. Code § 35-44.1-1-4 Conflict of interest

Sec. 4. (a) The following definitions apply throughout this section: (1) "Dependent" means any of the following: (A) The spouse of a public servant. (B) A child, stepchild, or adoptee (as defined in IC 31-9-2.1-8) of a public servant who is: (i) unemancipated; and (ii) less than eighteen (18) years of age. (C) An individual more than one-half (1/2) of whose support is provided during a year by the public servant. (2) "Governmental entity served by the public servant" means the immediate governmental entity being served by a public servant. (3) "Pecuniary interest" means an interest in a contract or purchase if the contract or purchase will result or is intended to result in an ascertainable increase in the income or net worth of: (A) the public servant; or (B) a dependent of the public servant who: (i) is under the direct or indirect administrative control of the public servant; or (ii) receives a contract or purchase order that is reviewed, approved, or directly or indirectly administered by the public servant. (b) A public servant who knowingly or intentionally: (1) has a pecuniary interest in; or (2) derives a profit from; a contract or purchase connected with an action by the governmental entity served by the public servant commits conflict of interest, a Level 6 felony. (c) It is not an offense under this section if any of the following apply: (1) The public servant or the public servant's dependent receives compensation through salary or an employment contract for: (A) services provided as a public servant; or (B) expenses incurred by the public servant as provided by law. (2) The public servant's interest in the contract or purchase and all other contracts and purchases made by the governmental entity during the twelve (12) months before the date of the contract or purchase was two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or less. (3) The contract or purchase involves utility services from a utility whose rate structure is regulated by the state or federal government. (4) The public servant: (A) acts in only an advisory capacity for a state supported college or university; and (B) does not have authority to act on behalf of the college or university in a matter involving a contract or purchase. (5) A public servant under the jurisdiction of the state ethics commission (as provided in IC 4-2-6-2.5) obtains from the state ethics commission, following full and truthful disclosure, written approval that the public servant will not or does not have a conflict of interest in connection with the contract or purchase under IC 4-2-6 and this section. The approval required under this subdivision must be: (A) granted to the public servant before action is taken in connection with the contract or purchase by the governmental entity served; or (B) sought by the public servant as soon as possible after the contract is executed or the purchase is made and the public servant becomes aware of the facts that give rise to a question of conflict of interest. (6) A public servant makes a disclosure that meets the requirements of subsection (d) or (e) and is: (A) not a member or on the staff of the governing body empowered to contract or purchase on behalf of the governmental entity, and functions and performs duties for the governmental entity unrelated to the contract or purchase; (B) appointed by an elected public servant; (C) employed by the governing body of a school corporation and the contract or purchase involves the employment of a dependent or the payment of fees to a dependent; (D) elected; or (E) a member of, or a person appointed by, the board of trustees of a state supported college or university. (7) The public servant is a member of the governing board of, or is a physician employed or contracted by, a hospital organized or operated under IC 16-22-1 through IC 16-22-5 or IC 16-23-1. (d) A disclosure must: (1) be in writing; (2) describe the contract or purchase to be made by the governmental entity; (3) describe the pecuniary interest that the public servant has in the contract or purchase; (4) be affirmed under penalty of perjury; (5) be submitted to the governmental entity and be accepted by the governmental entity in a public meeting of the governmental entity before final action on the contract or purchase; (6) be filed within fifteen (15) days after final action on the contract or purchase with: (A) the state board of accounts; and (B) if the governmental entity is a governmental entity other than the state or a state supported college or university, the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the governmental entity takes final action on the contract or purchase; and (7) contain, if the public servant is appointed, the written approval of the elected public servant (if any) or the board of trustees of a state supported college or university (if any) that appointed the public servant. (e) This subsection applies only to a person who is a member of, or a person appointed by, the board of trustees of a state supported college or university. A person to whom this subsection applies complies with the disclosure requirements of this chapter with respect to the person's pecuniary interest in a particular type of contract or purchase which is made on a regular basis from a particular vendor if the individual files with the state board of accounts and the board of trustees a statement of pecuniary interest in that particular type of contract or purchase made with that particular vendor. The statement required by this subsection must be made on an annual basis. As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.499; P.L.145-2026, SEC.237.

Ind. Code § 35-44.1-1-5 Profiteering from public service

Sec. 5. (a) As used in this section, "pecuniary interest" has the meaning set forth in section 4(a)(3) of this chapter. (b) A person who knowingly or intentionally: (1) obtains a pecuniary interest in a contract or purchase with an agency within one (1) year after separation from employment or other service with the agency; and (2) is not a public servant for the agency but who as a public servant approved, negotiated, or prepared on behalf of the agency the terms or specifications of: (A) the contract; or (B) the purchase; commits profiteering from public service, a Level 6 felony. (c) This section does not apply to negotiations or other activities related to an economic development grant, loan, or loan guarantee. (d) This section does not apply if the person receives less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) of the profits from the contract or purchase. (e) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that: (1) the person was screened from any participation in the contract or purchase; (2) the person has not received a part of the profits of the contract or purchase; and (3) notice was promptly given to the agency of the person's interest in the contract or purchase. As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.500.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/35Fetched: 10/17/2026