,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #diff ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ad1 #bjbf,mr4 ,lujn 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,schiff7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit ,federal judges from receiving certain gifts1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,high ,court ,gift ,ban ,act4 #b4 ,prohibition on gifts 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,v of chapter #gc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #gced4 ,gifts to ,federal judges 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,gift ,the term gift means any gratuity1 favor1 discount1 entertainment1 hospitality1 loan1 forbearance1 or other item having monetary value 7including services1 transportation1 local travel1 lodgings1 and meals7 whether provided in-kind1 by purchase of a ticket1 payment in advance1 or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred4 7#b7 ,judicial officer2 relative ,the terms judicial officer and relative have the meanings given the term in section #acaja4 7#c7 ,personal hospitality from an individual ,the term personal hospitality from an individual means hospitality extended-- 7,a7 by an individual for a nonbusiness purpose2 7,b7 at the personal residence1 property1 or facilities owned by the individual or the family of the individual2 7,c7 without payment or reimbursement from any other person 7except the judicial officer or a relative of the judicial officer7 for such hospitality2 and 7,d7 with the individual or the family of the individual present on the property at the time in which a judicial officer is being hosted4 7#d7 ,prohibited source ,the term prohibited source means any person-- 7,a7 who has1 or is likely to1 come before the judicial officer2 or 7,b7 whose interests have1 or are likely to1 come before the judicial officer4 7b7 ,prohibition 7#a7 ,in general ,a judicial officer may not accept a gift from any source unless-- 7,a7 the judicial officer reasonably and in good faith believes the gift has a value of less than #ej2 and 7,b7 the aggregate value of gifts the judicial officer has received from the source in that calendar year is #ajj or less1 including the value of the gift4 7#b7 ,exceptions ,the prohibition under paragraph 7#a7 does not apply to any of the following circumstances3 7,a7 ,anything for which the judicial officer pays the fair market value4 7,b7 ,anything for which the judicial officer does not use and promptly returns to the person who provided the gift to the judicial officer4 7,c7 ,a gift from a relative4 7,d7 ,a gift from another judicial officer4 7,e7 ,honorary degrees 7and associated travel1 food1 refreshments1 and entertainment7 and other bona fide1 nonmonetary awards presented in recognition of public service 7and associated food1 refreshments1 and entertainment provided in the presentation of such degrees and awards7 paid for by an educational institution if the educational institution pays for1 or sponsors1 the award and invites the judicial officer4 7,f7 ,opportunities and benefits that are-- 7i7 available to the public or to a class consisting of all employees2 7ii7 offered to members of a group or class for which membership in such group or class is unrelated to service as a judicial officer2 7iii7 offered to members of an organization open to all judicial officers2 7iv7 in the form of loans from banks and other financial institutions on terms generally available to the public2 or 7v7 in the form of a reduction in membership fees or fees for participation in activities of an organization if such reduction is offered to all employees and the organization is a professional organization in which its membership is solely contingent on professional qualifications of the prospective member4 7,g7 ,reimbursement for reasonable expenses for transportation1 food1 lodging1 and entertainment at a seminar or event relating to the law1 the legal system1 or the administration of justice if-- 7i7 the judicial officer was not invited to the seminar or event by a prohibited source2 7ii7 the seminar or event is not organized1 paid for1 or sponsored by a prohibited source2 and 7iii7 the total amount of reimbursement for the seminar or event is-- 7,i7 #b1jjj or less2 or 7,,ii7 greater than #b1jjj if such judicial officer received a written waiver from-- 7aa7 in the case of a justice of the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states1 the ,chief ,justice of the ,united ,states2 and 7bb7 in the case of a judge1 the chief judge of the circuit or district of the judge4 7,h7 ,personal hospitality from an individual1 who is not a prohibited source1 in an amount that does not exceed the dollar amount established under paragraph 7#a7 of section #bejc7;b77as adjusted under paragraph 7#b7 of such section7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf 7#bf ,u4,s4,c4 #bejc7;b77 with respect to such calendar year4 7#c7 ,gifts to relatives ,a gift to a relative of the judicial officer shall be considered a gift to the judicial officer if-- 7,a7 it is given with the knowledge and acquiescence of the judicial officer2 and 7,b7 the judicial officer has reason to believe the gift was given because of the official position of the judicial officer4 7c7 ,enforcement 7#a7 ,referral 7,a7 ,attorney ,general ,the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states1 or any official designated by the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states or ,congress to assist the justices of the ,supreme ,court in maintaining compliance with the ,code of ,conduct for ,justices of the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states issued by the ,court on ,november #ac1 #bjbc1 or any successor rules or regulations governing ethical or conduct standards for justices1 shall refer to the ,attorney ,general the name of any individual who the ,conference or the official has reasonable cause to believe has accepted a gift prohibited by this section or any other law or regulation4 7,b7 ,notification of referral ,whenever the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states refers a judicial officer to the ,attorney ,general under this subsection1 the ,conference shall notify the judicial council of the circuit in which such referred judicial officer serves4 7#b7 ,penalties 7,a7 ,civil penalties ,the ,attorney ,general may bring a civil action in any appropriate ,united ,states district court for a violation of this section4 ,the court in which such action is brought may assess against such individual a civil penalty in any amount1 not to exceed #ej1jjj4 7,b7 ,criminal penalties ,any person who knowingly and willfully violates this section shall be fined under title #ah1 imprisoned for not more than #a year1 or both4 7d7 ,implementation ,within #ahj days of the enactment of the ,high ,court ,gift ,ban ,act1 the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states and the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states shall each promulgate regulations to carry out this section and ensure compliance4 7e7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to make it permissible for a judicial officer to accept a gift or other item of value that the judicial officer is prohibited from accepting under any other law1 rule1 or regulation4 4 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,the table of sections for subchapter ,v of ,chapter #gc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #gced4 ,gifts to ,federal judges4 4