2024 Post-Session Florida Ethics Legislative Report

On June 21, 2024, SB 7014 was signed into law by the Governor. The bill creates a number of timeframes for completion of specific steps of the ethics process conducted by the state Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission) when investigating alleged ethics violations. The bill also requires that at least two-thirds of commission members present at a meeting must vote to reject or deviate from a stipulation or settlement that is recommended by the counsel representing the Commission. The bill’s provisions related to investigations conducted by the Commission take effect October 1, 2024.

Additional portions of the bill, which become effective upon becoming a law:

• Require that ethics complaints must be based upon “personal knowledge or information other than hearsay.”
•  Provide that terms of Commission members are limited to two terms.
• Creates an exception for attorneys who are public servants required to file financial disclosure via Form 1 or Form 6 enabling them to satisfy the Secondary Sources of Income disclosure section by writing “Legal Client” in the disclosure fields without providing any further information. 
• Requires all local political subdivisions, including local ethics commissions, to:

o Require that ethics complaints must be written and signed under oath or affirmation;

o Require that ethics complaint must be based upon personal knowledge or information other than hearsay;

o Prohibit self-initiation of complaints; and

o Authorize recovery of costs and attorney fees incurred in defending against a maliciously filed complaint.

A full summary of the bill many be viewed here.