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Ethics Commission <br /> Advisory Opinion No. 229 <br /> Page 6 <br /> become a "public employee," the advisor must not only offering be offeri advice • <br /> concerning a matter of governmental concern, but also must somehow be annoited <br /> with official status in regards to the rendition of this advice. <br /> With respect to the various professionals who may volunteer services <br /> to Governor -Elect Buddy Roemer, his designation of them as his advisors during <br /> the transition period does not have such an effect because he is not yet <br /> serving as governor. However, such a designation of some particular person or <br /> group of persons as his advisors on some issue of governmental concern <br /> after his inauguration would render these same persons "public employees." <br /> Finally, subsection (d) deems public employees those persons who are <br /> "[u]nder the supervision or authority of an elected official or another <br /> employee of the governmental entity." Subsection (d) is inapplicable as long <br /> as the appointment of these volunteers to advisory status is made by the • <br /> Governor- Elect, and not by the Governor or any other public official. <br /> Thus, until Governor -Elect Roemer is inaugurated, volunteers who <br /> serve him in an advisory or any other capacity during the transition period do <br /> not become, by virtue of that service to the Governor - Elect, "public <br /> employees" as that term is defined in the Code. Accordingly, such volunteers <br /> do not become subject to the Code with respect to their rendition of advice <br /> and assistance to the Governor -Elect during the transition period. <br /> This opinion should not be viewed as a narrowing of application of <br /> the definition of "public employee" contained in the Code. The Commission has <br /> traditionally applied the definition of "public employee" liberally in a broad <br /> and far - reaching manner consistent with its understanding of the policy <br /> underpinnings set out in the Declaration of Policy contained at Section 1101 <br /> of the Code. The Commission remains of the view that the provisions of the • <br />