Bribery Laws by State (2026)
How each state handles bribery and the penalties, from each state's code.
| State | Bribery |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Bribery of a public servant (offering or giving anything of value to influence an official's vote, judgment or official action, or an official asking for or accepting a payment for that purpose) is a Class C felony (1 year and 1 day to 10 years). It is no defense that the official was not yet in office or lacked power to act. Commercial bribery (secretly giving a benefit to an employee, agent or fiduciary to influence their conduct toward their employer or beneficiary) is a Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year). Ala. Code 1975 §§ 13A-10-61, 13A-11-120; §§ 13A-5-6, 13A-5-7 |
| Alaska | Offering or giving a benefit to a public servant to influence their vote, decision or official action is bribery, a class B felony (up to 10 years); a public servant who asks for or accepts such a benefit commits receiving a bribe, also a class B felony. A public servant who takes an extra payment of $50 or more (or asks for any amount) for an official act commits receiving unlawful gratuities, a class A misdemeanor, and a public servant who witnesses bribery and does not report it commits a class A misdemeanor. Commercial bribery (offering a benefit to an employee, fiduciary or professional to get them to violate their duty) and commercial bribe receiving are class C felonies (up to 5 years). AS 11.56.100, 11.56.110, 11.56.120, 11.56.124, 11.46.660, 11.46.670; AS 12.55.035, 12.55.125, 12.55.135 |
| Arizona | Bribery of a public servant or party officer (offering or giving a benefit to corruptly influence an official's vote, decision or official action, or an official asking for or accepting one) is a class 4 felony (first-offense range 1 to 3.75 years). It is no defense that the official had not yet taken office or lacked jurisdiction. Commercial bribery (giving an employee a benefit without the employer's consent to influence their work in a way that causes the employer economic loss, or the employee accepting it) is a class 5 felony if the benefit is over $1,000, a class 6 felony from $100 to $1,000, and a class 1 misdemeanor under $100. A.R.S. §§ 13-2602, 13-2605; §§ 13-702(D), 13-707 |
| Arkansas | Arkansas charges bribery of public officials as 'abuse of public trust': offering a benefit to a public servant (or someone about to become one) in exchange for an official decision, vote or use of discretion, a public servant accepting such a benefit, or trading benefits for a promise of public jobs or candidacy. It is graded by the value of the benefit: $25,000 or more is a Class B felony (5 to 20 years), $5,000 to under $25,000 a Class C felony (3 to 10 years), $500 to under $5,000 a Class D felony (up to 6 years), and under $500 or of unknown value a Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year). Ark. Code § 5-52-101; §§ 5-4-201, 5-4-401 |
| California | Offering a bribe to a state executive officer, or to a member of a city council, board of supervisors or similar local body, is a felony of 2, 3 or 4 years in state prison and bars the person from holding office; a local member who accepts a bribe forfeits office. A state or local officer or employee who asks for or accepts a bribe faces 2, 3 or 4 years plus a restitution fine. Bribing a lower-level public employee is a misdemeanor if the thing offered is worth petty-theft value and a 1170(h) felony if it is worth grand-theft value. Commercial bribery (an employee taking money to secretly favor someone over the employer, or the person paying it) applies above $250: up to 1 year in county jail up to $1,000, and above $1,000 up to 1 year in jail or 16 months, 2 or 3 years in state prison. Cal. Pen. Code 67, 67.5, 68, 165, 641.3; Pen. Code 17, 18, 19, 1170(h) |
| Colorado | Bribery (offering or giving any money or other financial benefit to a public servant to influence their vote, judgment or official action, or a public servant asking for or accepting one) is a class 3 felony (4 to 12 years). It is no defense that the official had not yet taken office or lacked jurisdiction. Paying or accepting compensation for past official favors is a class 4 felony (2 to 6 years). Commercial bribery (an employee, fiduciary, professional adviser, arbitrator or similar person accepting a benefit to violate a duty of loyalty, or someone offering it) is a class 6 felony (1 year to 18 months). C.R.S. §§ 18-8-302, 18-8-303, 18-5-401; § 18-1.3-401 |
| Connecticut | Offering or giving a public servant (or someone chosen to become one) any benefit in exchange for an official decision or vote is bribery, a class C felony (1 to 10 years, up to $10,000); a public servant who asks for or accepts such a benefit commits bribe receiving, also a class C felony. Bribing a witness or juror, and a witness or juror taking a bribe, are separate class C felonies. Commercial bribery (giving an employee or agent a benefit, without the employer's consent, to influence their work) and receiving a commercial bribe are class D felonies (up to 5 years). Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-147, 53a-148, 53a-150, 53a-153, 53a-160, 53a-161; §§ 53a-35a, 53a-41 |
| Delaware | Bribery (offering or giving a public servant a personal benefit to influence an official vote, judgment or decision, an appointment, or a breach of duty) is a class E felony (up to 5 years), and a public servant receiving a bribe also commits a class E felony. Giving or receiving an unlawful gratuity for official acts is a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year). Commercial bribery (bribing an employee, agent, fiduciary, labor official or sports participant without the employer's consent) and receiving such a bribe are class A misdemeanors. 11 Del. C. §§ 1201, 1203, 1205, 1206, 881, 882; 11 Del. C. §§ 4205, 4206 |
| District of Columbia | Bribery (corruptly offering or giving anything of value to a public servant, or a public servant corruptly asking for or accepting it, in exchange for influencing an official act, violating an official duty or helping defraud the District) is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000 or twice the value of the bribe, whichever is greater. D.C. Code §§ 22-712, 22-3571.01 |
| Florida | Bribery (corruptly giving, offering or promising a public servant any benefit to influence an official act or vote, or a public servant corruptly asking for or accepting one) is a second-degree felony (up to 15 years, $10,000). Unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior is also a second-degree felony. Commercial bribery (giving a benefit to an employee, agent or fiduciary to get them to violate their duty) and commercial bribe receiving are third-degree felonies (up to 5 years). Fla. Stat. §§ 838.015, 838.016, 838.15, 838.16; §§ 775.082, 775.083 |
| Georgia | Bribery (giving or offering a benefit the recipient is not entitled to, to anyone acting for the state or a local government, in order to influence their official acts, or an official asking for or accepting such a benefit) is punishable by 1 to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. O.C.G.A. § 16-10-2 |
| Hawaii | Bribery (giving, offering or agreeing to give a public servant any money benefit to influence their official action, or a public servant asking for or accepting one) is a class B felony (10 years, $25,000), and a person convicted cannot get a deferred acceptance of a guilty or no-contest plea. Commercial bribery (giving a benefit to an agent or appraiser to influence their conduct or judgment, or an agent accepting one) is a misdemeanor (up to 1 year), or a class C felony (5 years) if the benefit is worth more than $1,000. HRS §§ 710-1040, 708-880; §§ 706-660, 706-663 |
| Idaho | Offering, giving, asking for or accepting any pecuniary benefit in exchange for a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote or exercise of discretion, or any benefit for a decision in a judicial or administrative proceeding or for violating a known legal duty, is bribery, a felony in Idaho. Unless another penalty is set, a felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $50,000, or both. Bribing (or accepting a bribe as) a city council member, county commissioner, sheriff, police officer or prosecutor to get immunity from arrest or prosecution is punishable by 1 to 14 years in prison, and bribing judges, jurors or arbitrators is a separate felony. An official convicted under the bribery chapter may be required to forfeit office and repay any benefit. Idaho Code §§ 18-1352, 18-1309, 18-1301, 18-1302, 18-1360, 18-112 |
| Illinois | Bribery means offering or giving a public officer, public employee, juror or witness property or a personal advantage they are not allowed by law to accept, to influence their official acts; it also covers anyone who solicits, accepts or agrees to accept such a benefit. Bribery is a Class 2 felony (3 to 7 years). A public officer, employee or juror who fails to promptly report a bribe offer commits a Class A misdemeanor. Commercial bribery (offering a benefit to an employee, agent or fiduciary without the employer's consent to influence their conduct) and commercial bribe receiving are Class A misdemeanors with a fine up to $5,000 when the benefit is under $500,000, and Class 3 felonies (2 to 5 years) when it is $500,000 or more. 720 ILCS 5/33-1, 5/33-2, 5/29A-1, 5/29A-2, 5/29A-3; 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-25 to -65 |
| Indiana | Bribery is offering, giving or agreeing to give property to a public servant (or someone else) to control an official act, or a public servant soliciting or accepting such property; it also covers bribing participants or officials in sports contests, paying or being paid by witnesses or informants to withhold testimony or avoid legal process, and paying people to vote or not vote. Bribery is a Level 5 felony (1 to 6 years). It is no defense that the public servant was not qualified to act in the desired way. Indiana's criminal code has no separate commercial bribery offense (none appears in Title 35); kickbacks and bribes in the Medicaid program are covered in IC 12-15-24. IC 35-44.1-1-2; IC 35-50-2-4 to -7, 35-50-3-2 to -4 |
| Iowa | Offering, promising or giving anything of value to a public officer or employee, juror, referee, witness or arbitrator under an understanding that it will influence their vote, decision or exercise of discretion is bribery, a class D felony (up to 5 years). Soliciting or accepting such a bribe is a class C felony (up to 10 years). Anyone convicted of either is disqualified from holding public office in Iowa. Commercial bribery (offering a gratuity to a business employee, or an employee accepting one, for an act that conflicts with the employee's duties to the employer) is a separate class D felony. Iowa Code §§ 722.1, 722.2, 722.10, 902.9 |
| Kansas | Bribery is offering, giving or promising a public official (including a candidate or public employee) any benefit the official may not lawfully accept, intending to improperly influence the official's performance or non-performance of duties, or an official intentionally requesting, receiving or agreeing to receive such a benefit. It is a severity level 7 nonperson felony. A public official convicted of bribery forfeits their office or job, and anyone convicted is forever disqualified from holding public office or public employment in Kansas, even if the conviction is expunged. Felony prison ranges come from the sentencing grid, which combines the severity level with criminal history. K.S.A. 21-6001, 21-6804 |
| Kentucky | Bribery of a public servant (offering, giving or agreeing to give any pecuniary benefit to influence a public servant's vote, judgment or official action, or a public servant soliciting or accepting one) is a Class C felony, punishable by 5 to 10 years. Providing the money or benefit for someone else's bribe is also a Class C felony. Commercial bribery (offering a benefit to an employee, agent or fiduciary to influence them against their employer's or beneficiary's interests) and receiving a commercial bribe are Class A misdemeanors (up to 12 months). KRS 521.020, 521.050, 518.020, 518.030, 532.060, 532.090 |
| Louisiana | Public bribery is giving or offering anything of value to a public officer or employee, a juror, a witness, or an elected or appointed official to influence their official conduct; the official's accepting or offering to accept is also public bribery. It is punished by a fine up to $2,000, up to 10 years with or without hard labor, or both, and the court may order restitution to the state; the bribe property can be seized and forfeited. Commercial bribery (paying a private employee, agent or fiduciary without the employer's knowledge to influence their work) is a misdemeanor punished by up to six months, a fine up to $500, or both. La. R.S. 14:118; R.S. 14:73 |
| Maine | Bribery in official and political matters (offering or giving any economic benefit to influence a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote or exercise of discretion, or a public servant, party official, candidate or voter soliciting or accepting one or failing to report a bribe offer) is a Class C crime, punishable by up to 5 years and $5,000. It also covers paying for signatures on absentee ballots or referendum petitions. Private (commercial) bribery, such as paying an employee, agent or fiduciary to act against the employer's interests, or bribing a sports participant or official, is a Class D crime (less than 1 year and up to $2,000). 17-A M.R.S. §§ 602, 904; 17-A M.R.S. §§ 1604(1), 1704 |
| Maryland | Bribing or attempting to bribe a public employee (including State and local officers, judges, legislators and police) to influence official duties, or a public employee demanding or receiving a bribe, fee or reward to influence or neglect those duties, is the misdemeanor of bribery. It carries 2 to 12 years in prison or a fine of $5,000 to $25,000, or both, and the person loses the right to vote and to hold an office of trust or profit in Maryland. A participant may be compelled to testify against others and is then immune from prosecution for that crime. Md. Code, Crim. Law § 9-201 |
| Massachusetts | Corruptly giving, offering or promising anything of value to a state, county or municipal employee or a judge to influence an official act, to get them to allow fraud on the government, or to induce a violation of duty, or an official corruptly seeking or accepting anything of value in return, is punished by a fine up to $100,000, up to 10 years in state prison or 2½ years in a house of correction, or both; a person finally convicted can never hold public office in Massachusetts. Bribing or being bribed as a witness is punished the same way. Commercial bribery (offering a benefit to another's agent or fiduciary to influence their conduct in the employer's business, or the agent accepting it) is punished by up to 5 years in state prison and/or a fine up to $10,000. Mass. G.L. c. 268A, § 2; G.L. c. 271, § 39(a) |
| Michigan | Corruptly giving, offering or promising anything of value to a public officer, agent or employee to influence any official act, vote, opinion or decision is a felony; because the section sets no specific penalty, the general felony penalty applies (up to 4 years and/or $5,000). An executive, legislative or judicial officer who corruptly accepts a bribe in exchange for a vote, opinion, judgment or appointment commits a felony punishable by up to 10 years and/or $5,000, forfeits the office, and is permanently disqualified from public office. Commercial bribery of an employee or agent to influence their actions in the employer's business, or accepting such a bribe, is a misdemeanor with up to 1 year and/or $1,000. MCL 750.117, 750.118, 750.125, 750.503 |
| Minnesota | Bribery (offering or giving a public officer or employee any benefit they are not legally entitled to in order to influence official duties, the officer requesting or accepting it, bribing a witness or a witness accepting a bribe, or accepting a benefit to withhold information about a crime) is punishable by up to 10 years and/or a $20,000 fine. A public officer convicted forfeits the office and is permanently disqualified from public office in Minnesota. Commercial bribery (corruptly paying an employee, agent or fiduciary to influence their work for their employer, or accepting such a payment) carries up to 5 years and/or $10,000 if the bribe is worth more than $500, and up to 90 days and/or $1,000 otherwise. Minn. Stat. §§ 609.42, 609.86 |
| Mississippi | Bribery means offering, promising or giving money or property to a public or private officer, agent or trustee (or a candidate for such a position) to influence their vote, opinion, action or judgment. The giver faces up to 10 years in the penitentiary, a fine up to $5,000, or both, and is permanently disqualified from public office and forfeits any office held; an officer who accepts such a bribe faces the same penalties. Bribing a juror, arbitrator or referee (or a juror accepting a bribe) is punished by up to 5 years in the penitentiary or up to 1 year in county jail, or a $1,000 fine, or both. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-11-11, 97-11-13, 97-9-5 |
| Missouri | Bribery of a public servant (knowingly offering, giving or agreeing to give any benefit in return for a public servant's vote, decision or other official action, or for breaking a legal duty) is a class E felony, punishable by up to 4 years and a fine up to $10,000. Commercial bribery (an employee, agent, fiduciary, professional adviser or similar person taking a benefit to violate a duty of loyalty, or someone offering it) is a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year and $2,000). RSMo §§ 576.010, 570.150, 558.011, 558.002 |
| Montana | Bribery means purposely or knowingly offering, giving or agreeing to give (or asking for or accepting) a benefit in exchange for a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote or other exercise of discretion, for official action in a court or agency proceeding, or for violating a known duty. It is punishable by up to 10 years in state prison and/or a $50,000 fine, and the person is forever disqualified from holding public office in Montana. MCA 45-7-101 |
| Nebraska | Bribery means offering or giving a benefit to a public servant or peace officer to get them to violate their public duty in a vote, decision or other official action, or a public servant or officer asking for or accepting such a benefit. It is a Class IV felony (up to 2 years plus 12 months of post-release supervision, and/or $10,000). Commercial bribery (an employee, fiduciary, professional adviser, officer, union representative or arbitrator taking a benefit to violate a duty of loyalty, or someone offering it) is a Class I misdemeanor. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-917, 28-613, 28-105, 28-106 |
| Nevada | Offering or giving a bribe to a public officer to influence an official act, and a public officer or employee asking for or accepting a bribe, are category C felonies, punishable by 1 to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. A public officer convicted of any felony forfeits the office and is barred from ever again holding public office in Nevada. NRS 197.010, 197.020, 197.030, 197.040, 197.230; NRS 193.130, 193.140, 193.150 |
| New Hampshire | Bribery means promising, offering or giving any economic benefit to influence a public servant's, party official's or voter's action, decision, vote or other discretion, or a public servant, official, candidate or voter asking for or accepting such a benefit (or failing to report an offer). It is a class B felony (up to 7 years). Commercial bribery (benefits to violate a duty of loyalty as an employee, agent, fiduciary or professional) is graded by value: over $1,500, class A felony; more than $1,000 up to $1,500, class B felony; otherwise a misdemeanor. RSA 640:2, 638:7, 651:2 |
| New Jersey | Bribery in official and political matters (offering, giving, asking for or accepting any benefit not authorized by law in exchange for a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote, or exercise of official duty or discretion) is a crime of the second degree (5-10 years), or third degree (3-5 years) if the benefit is worth $200 or less. Commercial bribery (benefits for violating a duty of fidelity as an employee, fiduciary, professional adviser, officer, labor official or arbitrator) is second degree at $75,000 or more, third degree over $1,000, and fourth degree at $1,000 or less. Public officers or employees convicted of crimes touching their office, including bribery, face mandatory minimum prison terms without parole. N.J.S. 2C:27-2; N.J.S. 2C:21-10; N.J.S. 2C:43-6.5 |
| New Mexico | Giving or offering anything of value to a public officer or public employee to influence an official opinion, judgment, vote, use of official power or performance of a public duty is bribery, a third degree felony (basic sentence 3 years). A public officer or employee who solicits or accepts anything of value intending to be influenced in an official matter commits a third degree felony and forfeits the office. Separate sections cover bribing or intimidating a witness, a witness accepting a bribe, bribing a contest participant, and Medicaid or other illegal kickbacks; the Criminal Code's section headings show no general commercial bribery offense. NMSA 1978, 30-24-1, 30-24-2; NMSA 1978, 31-18-15, 31-19-1 |
| New York | Bribery of a public servant (giving or offering any benefit with the understanding that the official's vote, decision or other official action will be influenced) is bribery in the third degree, a class D felony (up to 7 years); second degree (benefit over $5,000) is a class C felony (up to 15 years); first degree (benefit over $100,000, or to influence a class A felony investigation or prosecution) is a class B felony (up to 25 years). A public servant who solicits, accepts or agrees to accept a benefit on that understanding commits bribe receiving in the third degree, a class D felony (up to 7 years); bribe receiving in the second degree (benefit over $5,000) is a class C felony (up to 15 years); and bribe receiving in the first degree (benefit over $100,000, or to influence the investigation, arrest, detention, prosecution or incarceration of someone for a class A felony under Penal Law article 220) is a class B felony (up to 25 years). Commercial bribing (benefiting an employee, agent or fiduciary without the employer's consent to influence their conduct) is a class A misdemeanor, or a class E felony if the benefit exceeds $1,000 and causes the employer more than $250 in economic harm. N.Y. Penal Law 200.00, 200.03, 200.04, 200.10-200.12; 180.00, 180.03 |
| North Carolina | A public official or candidate who accepts or agrees to accept anything of value (including a campaign contribution) in exchange for an official act or omission is punished as a Class F felon, and anyone who offers a bribe, whether or not it is accepted, is also guilty of a Class F felony. Commercial bribery (offering or giving an employee or agent something of value to influence how they handle their employer's business, or an agent accepting it or a purchasing agent taking a kickback) is a Class 2 misdemeanor. N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-217, 14-218, 14-353 |
| North Dakota | Bribery (knowingly offering, giving, asking for or accepting anything of value in exchange for a public servant's official action or violation of a known legal duty) is a class C felony (up to 5 years and $10,000). Commercial bribery (giving a benefit to an employee, agent or fiduciary without the employer's or beneficiary's consent to influence their conduct, or accepting such a benefit) is also a class C felony, as is sports bribery. Lesser offenses such as unlawful compensation for help in government matters and trading in special influence are class A misdemeanors. N.D.C.C. 12.1-12-01, 12.1-12-08, 12.1-12-07, 12.1-12-03, 12.1-12-05 |
| Ohio | Bribery (promising, offering or giving anything of value to corrupt or improperly influence a public servant or party official, or knowingly asking for or accepting such a thing; also covers influencing witnesses) is a third-degree felony (up to 36 months and $10,000, or longer for listed offenses). A public servant or party official convicted of bribery is permanently barred from holding any public office, employment or position of trust in Ohio. Soliciting or giving improper compensation to a public servant is a separate first-degree misdemeanor. R.C. 2921.02, 2921.43 |
| Oklahoma | Corruptly giving or offering a gift or gratuity to any public officer or public employee (including law enforcement) to influence an official act or decision is a Class D1 felony (up to 5 years), or a fine of up to $3,000 and up to 1 year in jail. An officer or employee who corruptly accepts or asks for a bribe is guilty of a Class C2 felony (up to 7 years), or a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 1 year in jail, forfeits the office and is permanently barred from public office. Bribery of legislators, executive officers, jurors and fiduciaries is covered by separate sections. 21 O.S. §§ 381, 382; 21 O.S. §§ 20M, 20N |
| Oregon | Offering, giving or agreeing to give any financial benefit to a public servant to influence an official vote, opinion, judgment, decision or action is 'bribe giving,' a Class B felony (up to 10 years). A public servant who solicits, accepts or agrees to accept such a benefit commits 'bribe receiving,' also a Class B felony. ORS 162.015, 162.025; ORS 161.605 |
| Pennsylvania | Offering, giving or agreeing to give, or soliciting, accepting or agreeing to accept, any financial benefit in exchange for a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote or exercise of discretion, any benefit for an official decision or vote in a judicial, administrative or legislative proceeding, or any benefit for violating a known legal duty as a public servant, is bribery, a felony of the third degree (up to 7 years and $15,000). It is no defense that the official had not yet taken office or lacked jurisdiction. Commercial bribery (an employee, agent or fiduciary taking a benefit to act against the employer, or offering one) is a second-degree misdemeanor. 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 4701, 4108; 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 1103, 1104 |
| Rhode Island | Corruptly giving or offering a gift or anything of value to a public official, or to any public or private employee or agent, to influence or reward an act in their official or employer's business, and corruptly asking for or accepting such a payment, are felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of $5,000 to $50,000 or three times the value of the bribe, whichever is greater. Rhode Island's statute covers commercial (private-employee) bribery in the same sections, and it is no defense that the person lacked power to perform the act. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-7-3, 11-7-4, 11-7-5 |
| South Carolina | Corruptly giving, offering or promising a gift to an executive, legislative or judicial officer to influence an official act, vote, opinion or decision is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, or a fine of up to $3,000 plus up to 1 year in jail. An officer who corruptly accepts a gift or promise in exchange for a vote, decision or appointment faces up to 10 years, or a fine of up to $5,000 plus up to 2 years in jail, forfeits the office and is permanently barred from public office in the state. S.C. Code §§ 16-9-210, 16-9-220 |
| South Dakota | Giving or offering a bribe to a public officer or employee to influence any act, decision, vote or opinion within their responsibility is a Class 4 felony (up to 10 years and $20,000), and a public officer or employee who asks for, receives or agrees to receive a bribe for such influence is also guilty of a Class 4 felony. Bribing a legislator is likewise a Class 4 felony, and bribery of a judicial officer or juror carries forfeiture of office and disqualification. SDCL 22-12A-6, 22-12A-7, 22-12A-4; SDCL 22-6-1 |
| Tennessee | Offering, giving or promising anything of value to a public servant to influence their vote, opinion, judgment or other official action is bribery, and so is a public servant asking for or accepting a benefit on that understanding. Both are Class B felonies (8 to 30 years and up to a $25,000 fine). Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-102; § 40-35-111 |
| Texas | Bribery (intentionally or knowingly offering, giving, asking for or accepting any benefit in exchange for a public servant's, party official's or voter's decision, vote or other official discretion, or for violating a legal duty) is a second-degree felony (2 to 20 years and up to $10,000). Political contributions are excluded unless given under an express agreement to take or withhold a specific official act. Commercial bribery (an employee, agent, trustee, lawyer, corporate officer or other fiduciary accepting a benefit to influence their conduct without the beneficiary's consent, or someone offering it) is a state jail felony. Tex. Penal Code §§ 36.02, 32.43; §§ 12.21-12.35 |
| Utah | Offering, promising or giving any benefit to influence a public servant's, party official's or voter's action, decision, vote or discretion is bribery, a second degree felony if the benefit is $1,000 or more and a third degree felony if less. A public servant (or party official or voter) who asks for or accepts such a benefit commits a second degree felony if the benefit is more than $1,000 and a third degree felony if $1,000 or less. Commercial bribery (an employee, agent or fiduciary taking or being offered a benefit to act against their employer's interests) is a class A misdemeanor. Utah Code §§ 76-8-103, 76-8-105, 76-6-508; §§ 76-3-203, 76-3-204 |
| Vermont | Corruptly giving, offering or promising a gift to a state or local officer, employee or candidate to influence their official decision is bribery: up to two years and $5,000 if the gift is under $500, and up to five years and $10,000 if $500 or more. An officer or employee who corruptly asks for or accepts such a gift faces up to two years and $5,000 under $500, and up to 10 years and $10,000 at $500 or more. Kickbacks to private company purchasing agents (commercial bribery) carry up to two years under $500 and up to five years at $500 or more. 13 V.S.A. §§ 1101, 1102, 1108 |
| Virginia | Corruptly giving, offering or promising a gift to an executive, legislative or judicial officer, sheriff, police officer or candidate to influence their official action is a Class 4 felony (2 to 10 years and up to $100,000), and the gift is forfeited. An officer or candidate who accepts such a gift commits a Class 4 felony, forfeits the office, and is barred forever from holding public office in Virginia. Commercial bribery (secretly giving an employee or agent a gift to influence their work against their employer, or an employee taking one or a kickback) is a Class 3 misdemeanor (fine up to $500). Va. Code §§ 18.2-438, 18.2-439, 18.2-444; §§ 18.2-10, 18.2-11 |
| Washington | Offering or giving a public servant any financial benefit to secure a particular result in their official vote, opinion, judgment or action, or a public servant asking for or accepting one on that understanding, is bribery, a class B felony (up to 10 years and $20,000). A public servant who asks to be paid for an official act they must perform for free (or for less) commits requesting unlawful compensation, a class C felony. Commercial bribery (paying an agent, employee, fiduciary, professional adviser, officer or referee to violate a duty of trust, or an insurer's employee taking money to steer claimants to providers) is also a class B felony. RCW 9A.68.010, 9A.68.020, 9A.68.060; RCW 9A.20.021 |
| West Virginia | Bribery (offering, giving, asking for or accepting a benefit in exchange for a public servant's or party official's official action, or for violating a public duty) is a felony: 1 to 10 years in prison for an individual, or a fine up to $50,000 for a corporation, and anyone convicted is permanently barred from holding public office in West Virginia. Rewarding a public servant for past official action is a misdemeanor of 3 months to 1 year in jail, a fine up to $5,000, or both; improper gifts to public servants and trading in public office are misdemeanors of 3 months to 1 year, a $50 to $1,000 fine, or both. W. Va. Code §§ 61-5A-3, 61-5A-4, 61-5A-6, 61-5A-7, 61-5A-9 |
| Wisconsin | Bribery of public officers and employees (giving or promising property or a personal advantage to influence a public official's action on a pending matter or to get them to violate their duty, or an official accepting or offering to accept such a bribe) is a Class H felony: up to 6 years, a fine up to $10,000, or both. Giving or accepting free passes or special privileges from public utilities is a Class I felony. Commercial bribery (corruptly giving or offering a gift to an employee or agent to influence their actions for their employer, or an employee accepting it or taking secret commissions on purchases) is punishable by a fine up to $10,000, up to 9 months in jail, or both. Wis. Stat. §§ 946.10, 946.11, 134.05, 939.50(3) |
| Wyoming | Bribery (offering or giving a public servant any money, privilege or personal advantage in exchange for a vote, decision or other official action, or a public servant asking for or accepting one on that understanding) is a felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine up to $5,000, or both. Accepting payment for past official favors, and a public servant soliciting payment for an official action that must be performed for free or at a lower fee, carry the same penalty. W.S. 6-5-102, 6-5-103, 6-5-104 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.