2024 Year In Review
Thank you from the Florida Ethics Institute
Whether you attended an FEI Ethics Educational event, participated in our online trainings or seminars, or contributed to our mission, we are truly grateful that you chose to join our Ethics Community!
In 2025, FEI remains committed to advancing ethics through advocacy and education! The Institute accomplishes this mission via its educational programs and partnerships. Below are a few of the many ethics highlights from the past year and our plans for 2025 and beyond!
FEI Making A Difference!
Florida Ethics Handbook 2025 Edition
In November 2024, FEI made the 2025 edition of the Florida Ethics Handbook available for pre-order.
Updated for 2025, the Florida Ethics Handbook is the only comprehensive guide to ethics laws in Florida. The Handbook provides a brief but rigorous review of Florida’s governmental ethics requirements, and related constitutional provisions, by topic—including gifts, conflicts of interest, nepotism, financial disclosure, voting conflicts, and more!
The 2025 edition includes updates to the recently amended ethics complaint procedures, financial disclosure requirements, gifts law interpretations, expanded mandatory ethics education, and the 2025 ethics laws. Pre-order your copy TODAY!
FEI Educational Outreach Initiatives
Ethics and Open Government Seminars:
In 2024 FEI’s ethics educators have hosted or participated in more than 24 ethics and open government educational lectures and trainings provided to hundreds of public servants, as well as attorneys, and citizen ethics advocates to assist them in understanding the continuously changing landscape of ethics and open government regulations. In this capacity, FEI has partnered with organizations and associations including the Florida Bar, Florida Association of Counties, Florida Public Pension Trustees Association, and others to help their members meet and exceed Florida’s fairness and transparency requirements.
In May, FEI hosted a live virtual training and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Ethics in Motion spotlighting recent changes to financial disclosure requirements resulting from Florida’s 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions.
✤ An on-demand, online version of this 1-hour training and CLE Ethics in Motion is available in FEI’s Online Learning Center where it can be accessed 24/7!
Online Learning Initiatives: In 2024 FEI updated its online 4 Hour Ethics & Open Government course which satisfies Florida’s mandatory ethics training requirements applicable to governmental officials. The updated course is available 24/7 on demand through FEI’s Online Learning Center. In 2025 FEI will continue to record and offer new, current on-line ethics education modules!
Ethics News Updates: FEI has authored and disseminated dozens of ethics news updates to the public and media spotlighting changes in ethics regulations, recent case law with ethics impact, and advisory opinions affecting Florida’s public servants, as well as investigation and enforcement actions by the Florida Commission on Ethics.
FEI Assists Journalists to Empower the Public with a Better Understanding of Ethics: In over 25 published articles FEI assisted an array of journalists and media outlets including the Tallahassee Democrat, Politico, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, and others in their understanding of Florida’s ethics laws and their application to facts involving ethics in the Sunshine State.
FEI Ethics Legislative Tracking Program
During the critical period prior to and during Florida’s Legislative Session, FEI raised public awareness regarding proposed legislation impacting ethics laws in real time through its Ethics Legislative Tracking Program.
In 2024 FEI published several Florida Ethics Legislative Reports for the benefit of all in Florida—including the publication of the 2024 Post-Session Ethics Legislative Report detailing the significant actions which occurred during the legislative session relating to ethics in government.
FEI Executive Director Honored
Florida Ethics Institute’s founder and Executive Director, Caroline Klancke, was Honored in 2024 by receiving the Florida Association of County Attorneys’ (FACA) “Ethics In Government Award.”
Also in 2024 Ms. Klancke was appointed to serve as FSU’s representative on the Tallahassee Independent Ethics Board.
Ms. Klancke is an attorney, author, lecturer and Board-Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP).
FEI Welcomes New Board Member Norman Ostrau, Mamber At Large
Norman Ostrau is an attorney and Former Director of the Public Ethics Academy at Florida Atlantic University, where he also taught Ethics and Administrative Law. He also lectures on Ethics for the Florida Institute of Government. He currently serves as Ethics Officer for the City of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Our Call To Action
If you believe in our mission we humbly ask for your support of our ethics educational projects and initiatives. Through educational activities designed to facilitate ethical leadership and service through education, FEI is committed to ensuring that a public office is a public trust.
With your help, we can begin the new year focused on empowering ethics with FEI as the central nonprofit leader in ethics understanding to build a more sustainable future in Florida.