A bill introduced two years ago to restrict gifts to city employees never climbed high enough on the Honolulu City Council’s priority list to pass before it expired — so now Bill 23 has been introduced, again proposing tightened rules on gift-giving.

Bill 23 includes a ban on “soliciting” gifts (which is apparently OK under current rules), or on accepting gifts if “from a prohibited source,” i.e. lobbyist or entity in a financial relationship with the city who appears before or benefits financially from the city employee or employee’s office (such as the City Council). It also limits gifts to a value of under $50, reduced from the current $200. Exemptions and definitions may need tightening, but tighter rules are indeed required.