2026 Post-Session Florida Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report

2026 Post-Session Florida Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report

At the time of publication, Florida’s 2026 Regular Legislative Session has concluded. However, Florida’s budget negotiations between the House and Senate remain ongoing but will conclude no later than June 30th. Further, the Legislature is set to return to Tallahassee on April 20—24th for a Special Session on congressional redistricting.

 

FEI’s 2026 Post Session Florida  Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report provides an overview of the major bills that have passed this session impacting Florida’s ethics and open government regulations.

 

  • Bills with Ethics law implications in Florida
  • Bills with open public meetings or public records implications

SB 504/HB 509 – CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERAS

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill requires counties and municipalities that allow code inspectors to wear body cameras to establish policies and procedures for their use, maintenance, and storage, and for the storage, retention, and release of audio and video data recorded by body cameras. The bill also requires counties and municipalities that permit code inspectors to wear body cameras to ensure personnel are properly trained, to retain audio and video data recorded by body cameras in accordance with public records requirements, and to perform periodic compliance reviews.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2026
 

SB 506/HB 511 – PUBLIC RECORDS-CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERAS

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill creates a public records exemption to provide that a code inspectors’ body camera recording is confidential and exempt from public disclosure requirements if the recording:
    • Is taken within the interior of a private residence;
    • Is taken within the interior of a facility that offers health care, mental health care, or social services; or
    • Is taken in a place that a reasonable person would expect to be private

In addition, the bill:

  • Provides for certain circumstances under which such recordings are required to be disclosed or may be disclosed;
  • Requires local governments to retain a body camera recording for at least 90 days; and
  • Specifies that the exemption applies retroactively.
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
 

SB 572/HB 603 – ETHICS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES  

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill revises the definition of the term “relative” in the Florida Code of Ethics to include current and former foster parents and foster children. Further, the bill reenacts ss. 106.07, 106.0702, 348.0305, and 1001.421, F.S., to incorporate the amendment made to the definition of “relative.” The inclusion of current and former foster parents and foster children extends:
    • The exception to the gift disclosure requirements for public officers and employees;
    • Certain contractual limitations for agency employees acting on behalf of their agency;
    • Limited exception relating to contributions to a candidate for certain offices;
    • Prohibition on receipt of gifts for relatives of district school board members; and
    • Required disclosure of potential conflicting interests held by a relative of employees, officers, and consultants of the Greater Miami Expressway Agency. 

The bill also amends the anti-nepotism law within the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3135, F.S., to create a special exception to allow relatives serving on the same collegial body to appoint, employ, or advance each other concerning leadership positions on the board.

  • Effective Date: April 1, 2026 
 

HB 655/HB 332 – PUBLIC MEETINGS/ATTORNEY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS CLAIMS 

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill creates a public meeting exemption authorizing a state or local agency, or the chief administrative or executive officer thereof, to meet in private and outside of the sunshine with the agency’s attorney during the 90-day notice period specified in the Bert Harris Act to discuss Bert Harris claims (concerning challenges to governmental actions restricting the use of private property) submitted in accordance with the Act.
    • However, the bill provides that, in order for such a private “shade meeting” to occur, the following conditions must be met:
      • The agency’s attorney must advise the agency at a public meeting that he/she desires advice concerning a Bert Harris claim;
      • The subject matter of the meeting must be confined to settlement negotiations or strategy sessions relating to the Bert Harris claim; and
      • The entire session must be recorded by a certified court reporter.
    • The bill further provides that the agency must give reasonable public notice of the time and date of the attorney-client session and the names of persons who will be attending the session. The session must commence at an open meeting at which the persons chairing the meeting must announce the commencement and estimated length of the attorney-client session and the names of the persons attending. At the conclusion of the attorney-client session, the meeting must be reopened, and the person chairing the meeting shall announce the session’s termination. And the bill provides that any transcripts, recordings, minutes, and records generated during an exempt portion of such a meeting are exempt from public record requirements until the claim is settled or until the statute of limitations has expired.
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
 

HB 905/SB 1178 – FOREIGN INFLUENCE  

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill seeks to limit influence by foreign countries of concern (FCOCs) and designated foreign terrorist organizations across government operations by:
    • Requiring agents engaged in certain activities on behalf of FCOCs to register and disclose their activities and funding.
    • Amends the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.313, F.S., (in Lines 64-92) to incorporate by reference the definitions of “Designated foreign terrorist organization” and “Foreign country of concern” and to provide that violations of the anti-bribery provisions of Florida law involving such organizations may result in not only civil and criminal damages but also the repayment of “double the value of any pecuniary benefit received as a result of the violation committed.”
    • Amends the annual ethics training requirements of the Florida Code of Ethics contained in s. 112.3142, F.S., (Lines 103-114) to require that identified public officials must also receive training on “known efforts by foreign countries of concern to target and influence subnational governments, including but not limited to, the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front strategy”; “how to identify, recognize, and report suspected foreign influence campaigns,” and “Enhanced penalties for violations relating to gifts from foreign countries of concern”.
    • Restricting government contracting and procurement involving foreign sources of concern.
    • Prohibiting sister city agreements and postsecondary linkage institute partnerships with FCOCs and terminating existing agreements.
    • Prohibiting charitable organizations from accepting contributions from designated foreign terrorist organizations and establishing new protections for critical infrastructure facilities, including contracting, registration, and transfer requirements.
    • Creating new criminal offenses and penalty enhancements related to foreign influence.
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
 

HB 1113/SB 350 – PUBLIC RECORDS/CRIME VICTIMS

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill expands a public record exemption for victims of crime (commonly referred to as “Marsy’s Law”) to include the name and personal identification number and any other information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse a victim, and creates a public record exemption for specified identifying information of a lawful representative, family member, or next of kin of a person identified as a victim. The bill creates a two-tiered public record exemption that makes the name of an officer who became a crime victim in the course and scope of his or her employment or official duties:
    • To be confidential and exempt, for the first 72 hours immediately following the incident; and exempt, for an additional 60 days.
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
 

SB 1296/HB 1298-PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS COMMISSION

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill amends several provisions relating to Ch. 447, F.S., which governs public employee unions in the state. Portions of the bill germane to public records access exempt from disclosure “showing of interest statements” signed by public employees and filed with Public Employee Relations Commission.
  • Effective Date: Upon becoming a law
 
HB 1445-PUBLIC RECORDS/PARKINSON’S DISEASE REGISTRY
  • Impact of the Bill: The bill creates a public records exemption for patient-identifying information held in the Parkinson’s disease registry. 
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026 

 

SB 1452/HB 1221 – DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill revises statutory provisions relating to the Department of Financial Services (DFS). Portions of the bill germane to ethics amend Florida’s anti-nepotism law, s. 112.3135, F.S., (Lines 416-427) to permit firefighters as public officials to “appoint, employ, promote, or advance, or advocate” their own relatives as firefighters.
  • Effective Date: Upon becoming law
 

HB 1471/SB 1632/HB 1473/SB 1634 -DOMESTIC TERRORIST DESIGNATION BILLS

  • Impact of the Bill: The bills create a process by which the Governor, Cabinet, and the appointed head of FDLE can designate an organization as a Domestic or Foreign Terrorist Organization outside of the judicial process.
    • The bills include broad provisions that shield the designation process and records from public scrutiny.
    • The bills provide severe penalties for individuals and groups that “promote” such designated organizations and prohibits governmental entities from accepting or expending funds from or to such organizations.
    • The bills amend various provisions within Florida’s education laws to, in part, prohibit the employment of, or contracting with, among others, “a person or entity that has demonstrated a pattern or practice of supporting or advocating for terrorism”, and “a high school program or student group that promotes a domestic terrorist organization or a foreign terrorist organization.”
    • The bills create s. 1003.035, F.S., to prohibit public schools from expending public funds on any programs or campus activities that promote a designated domestic terrorist organization or a foreign terrorist organization.
    • The bills expand prohibited expenditures for a colleges and universities within the Florida College System (FCS) from using state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that promote a domestic terrorist organization or a foreign terrorist organization, and authorizes the State Board of Education or the Board of Governors to withhold performance-based funding from a FCS institutions or state universities that violate the prohibited expenditures provision.
    • The bills expand provisions relating to student participation in disruptive activities by requiring educational institutions to report information concerning a student who is attending the institution on a student visa if the student “promotes” a designated foreign terrorist organization or a domestic terrorist organization. Under the bills, after a university student has been determined to have promoted a foreign or domestic terrorist organization, such student must be immediately expelled from the institution.
    • The bills prohibit awarding any grants, financial aid, scholarships, or tuition assistance to a student who promotes a domestic terrorist organization or a foreign terrorist organization during any term of enrollment.
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
 

SB 7004/HB7003 – OGSR/CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT REINVESTIGATION INFORMATION

  • Impact of the Bill: The bill saves from repeal the current public records exemption that exempts from public records disclosure requirements the information or materials generated by a state attorney’s conviction integrity unit while it is reinvestigating cases of previously convicted persons to review plausible claims of actual innocence.
  • Effective Date: Upon becoming law 

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—March 2026 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—March 2026 Meeting

March 18, 2026

COE March 19 2026
Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on March 6, 2026, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s governmental ethics laws, took action on an array of matters involving public officials.

Public Session
Attorneys Fees Petition

During its public session meeting, the Ethics Commission considered a Petition for Costs and Attorney’s Fees filed by Michele Myers, Mayor of Crescent City, against the four complainants in the underlying consolidated ethics matters which was dismissed on June 7, 2024, after a finding that the matters lacked probable cause to believe that wrongdoing had occurred. At Friday’s meeting the Commission voted to remand the case back to the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), for the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to determine each complainant’s individual liability for fees and costs.

 

Friday’s determination to remand the matter back to DOAH follows the ALJ’s January 7, 2026, issuance of a Recommended Order which granted the Mayor’s petition for attorneys fees and costs despite the high legal standards for recovery provided in the ethics laws and found all four complainants liable for payment of $25,547.73, jointly and severally.

 

The attorneys fees and costs provision of the Ethics Code, s. 112.317(7), F.S., contains a high standard for recovery only in cases when the Commission determines that a person has filed a complaint against a public official “with a malicious intent to injure the reputation” of such official and with knowledge that the complaint either contains false allegations or with reckless disregard for whether the complaint contains false allegations concerning the alleged ethics violations. As such, awards of this type are rare.

Settlement of Ethics Complaint Filed Against North Miami Beach City Commissioner

The Commission unanimously voted to approve a draft Settlement Agreement (referred to as “Joint Stipulation”) entered into between former North Miami Beach City Commissioner, Paule Villard, and the Commission’s attorney (referred to as “Advocate”) finding that the Commissioner failed to certify her required ethics training on her 2021 Form 1 financial disclosure filing. In light of this violation, a civil penalty of $500 and public censure and reprimand was recommended for imposition by the Governor.

 

Following investigations of the initial ethics complaint the Commission at its January 31, 2024, meeting had found probable cause to believe the Commissioner had obtained a disproportionate benefit and misused her official position by conducting official City business through Facebook videos while in her City office and in a City vehicle, using appearances of other City employees in the videos, and by failing to complete and certify the legally required annual ethics training for the year 2021—and submitted the matter to DOAH for a full administrative trial.

 

The Settlement approved at Friday’s meeting indicated that following the Commission’s probable cause determination the agency’s attorney identified a witness that indicated that the Commissioner was not conducting personal business in the Facebook videos but rather humanitarian efforts. On the basis of this information the parties agreed in the Settlement that there was insufficient evidence that the videos were inconsistent with the proper performance of the Commissioner’s public duties—and as such all allegations except the failure to certify the satisfaction of the 2021 ethics training were appropriate for dismissal. 

 

Settlement of Ethics Complaint Filed Against Gadsden County Commissioner

The Commission voted to approve the Settlement agreement between the Commission’s attorney and Gadsden County Commissioner, Ronterrious Green, which found that Mr. Green had a conflicting contractual relationship when he approved multiple contracts between the County and an individual who was his landlord. In light of this violation a civil penalty of $1,500 and public censure and reprimand was recommended for imposition by the Governor.

 

Withdrawal of Ethics Advisory Opinion Requested by Jacksonville City Council Member

The Commission voted to permit the withdrawal of an ethics opinion request made by Jason Teal, City of Jacksonville Council Secretary, on behalf of City Council member Joe Carlucci. The withdrawal request was predicated in part on the Commissioner’s belief that the Legislature would soon pass legislation that changes Florida’s anti-nepotism law to allow relatives serving on the same board to appoint, advance, promote, and advocate for each other.

 

The change in the law was approved by the Legislature via a last minute amendment to CS/SB 572  and effectively paved the way for Jacksonville City Council member Joe Carlucci to run for Council Vice President while serving on the council with his father, Matt Carlucci.

 

The amendment was filed by state Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, after the Commission on Ethics at its January 23, 2026, meeting failed to approve Draft Ethics Opinion 2830 due to a tie vote, which applied the current anti-nepotism law and recommended that it would prohibit two relatives serving on the same collegial body from recommending the advancement of one another “to a position of higher rank, dignity, or importance.”

 

Joe Carlucci is currently one of four Council members running for the position Vice President. The winner will serve a one-year term starting in July 2026 and will be the likely pick for Council President in 2027.

 

Approval of Ethics Opinion Granting Suspension of Financial Disclosure Requirements for Active-Duty Military Serviceman

The Commission adopted a formal ethics opinion concluding that a specified state employee who is ordered to active-duty military service will not be required to satisfy his annual financial disclosure requirement via the filing a Form 1 while deployed—due to a four-year leave of absence from public employment during his service. However, the Commission further found that he will be required to file his annual Form 1 for each year of his absence within 90 days upon returning to public employment or the end of his military activation orders.

 

Executive Session

During its closed session meeting (wherein confidential and exempt matters are addressed) the Commission took action on 97 matters. In a Press Release issued on March 11 the Commission made the following findings.

 

Ethics Complaints Considered for Probable Cause

During the Executive Session meeting, 15 ethics complaints were considered for probable cause. Commission determinations regarding probable cause are based upon the ethics complaint, the Report of Investigation, the Advocate’s Recommendation, as well as written statements submitted by the respondent (against whom the complaint is filed) and any oral statements made at the meeting. A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations at DOAH.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against former Senior Appraisal Review Specialist for the Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office (LCPA), Dennis J. Black. No probable cause was found to believe Mr. Black violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position to obtain alleged non-public information from LCPA before for use in his private purpose. An allegation that he used information gained by his official position, which was not available to the general public, was also dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

No probable cause was found on allegations that Watergrass Community Development District II Board member, Craig Margelowsky, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when he voted to renew an agreement to provide a local public high school swim team the use of the Community Development District lap pool.

 

Probable cause was found on an allegation that the Mayor for the Town of Astatula, Zane Teeters, Jr., violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit and misused his position when he used the Town’s seal, letterhead, and his title to threaten a former town council member who, in his resignation letter, named Mr. Teeters as the primary reason for resignation.

 

The Commission found no probable cause to believe that former Village Attorney for the Villages of Biscayne Park, Bradley Weissman, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when an unlicensed private investigator was retained to investigate allegations against the former Village Chief of Police.

 

In a related complaint, no probable cause was found on an allegation that the former Village Manager for the Village of Biscayne Park, Albert Childress, misused his position in the hiring of the private investigator.

 

No probable cause was found on allegations that City Manager of Haines City, James Elensky, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when he provided direction on an investigation being handled by the Criminal Investigation Division with the Haines City Police Department regarding a City Commissioner.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against the Vice President of the Harrison Ranch Community Development District, Thomas Benton. Probable cause was found on allegations that he failed to accurately disclose ownership of an LLC and the income he received from it on his 2023 and 2024 Form 1 disclosures. However, the Commission elected to take no further action on both allegations due to the particular circumstances of the matter. An allegation that he had a conflicting contractual relationship that created a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between his private interests and public duties was dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Harrison Ranch Community Development District Supervisor, Julianne Giella. Ms. Giella was alleged to have colluded with a former employee of Harrison Ranch, who was the Supervisor of a neighboring Community Development District, to secure a contract for services that would benefit both of them. No probable cause was found on four allegations, including: soliciting or accepting something of value based upon an understanding that her vote, official action, or judgment would be influenced; accepting compensation, payment, or thing of value when she knew or should have known it was given to influence her vote or official action; misused her position to secure a special privilege or benefit; and violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that Mayor for the City of Deltona, Santiago Avila, Jr., violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit and misused his position when he promoted a website that links to his campaign website, from his “official” Facebook page.

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Trial Court Administrator for the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Joseph D’amico. No probable cause was found on allegations that he failed to accurately complete the real property section on his 2024 Form 1 disclosure.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Fabian Basabe. No probable cause was found on an allegation that he misused his position or violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit regarding a legislative intern.

 

In a complaint filed against City Commissioner for the City of Treasure Island, Arthur Czyszczon, the Commission found no probable cause to believe that Mr. Czyszczon had a voting conflict regarding an ordinance that financially affected a property owned by a company where he was a corporate officer.

 

In a complaint filed against the Mayor of Punta Gorda, Deborah Lux, the Commission found no probable cause to believe she misused her position when she used her personal Facebook page to offer her thoughts on matters of public interest and opinions on political opponents.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that the District Manager for the Villages of Westport Community Development District, Darrin Mossing, misused his position regarding contracts for security services.

 

The Commission rejected the recommendation of its advocate and found no probable cause to believe that Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy, Jeffrey Merry, misused his position or used non-public information gained by his public position by sharing an unredacted photograph and personal information of an individual obtained from the Florida Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID). An allegation that he violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit related to the information obtained from DAVID resulted in a finding of no probable cause because there was no benefit to Mr. Merry or any other entity listed in the constitutional amendment provision.

 

Ethics Complaints Dismissed for Lacking Legal Sufficiency

The Commission also reviewed and dismissed 82 ethics complaints for lacking legal sufficiency. These reviews are limited to questions of jurisdiction and determinations as to whether the contents of the complaint are adequate to allege a violation of the Code of Ethics or other laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In any matter where a complaint is found legally insufficient and dismissed, the Commission will issue an order explaining the rationale for the dismissal which is a public record accessible to the public upon request.

 

 

At its meeting the Commission dismissed the following complaints due to a lack of legal sufficiency: two complaints against FRANKLIN W. MARTZ, II, Altamonte Springs City Manager; CLAYTON JOHNSON, Department of Children and Families Quality Assurance Specialist; GEANETTA SALTER, Department of Children and Families Operation Program Manager; ANGELA COLON, Department of Children and Families Child Protective Investigator Supervisor; CHANDRIEKA ROBINSON, Department of Children and Families Child Protective Investigator; ANGELINA PEREZ, Indiantown Village Council Member; BRANDON BLACKBURN, Eagle Lake Community Redevelopment Agency Board Member; MADISON STOCKS (NELSON), Bay County Sheriff’s Office Investigator; DIANE LAMB, Center Hill City Clerk; BILLY BOWLES, Center Hill City Council Member; DEANNA NAUGLER, Webster City Manager; ALFRED JEROME FLETCHER, North Port City Manager; SHANIQUE ROSE, Orlando District 5 Interim City Commissioner; HAROLD FERNANDEZ PRYOR, State Attorney for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit; ADRIAN SEGURA, Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Chief Fire Officer; SUSAN STAFFORD, Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission Member; GEORGE LANDRY, St. Lucie County Administrator; BILL BRASWELL, Polk County Commissioner; two complaints against BEVERLY NASH, Quincy Mayor; JAMES BEVILLE, Second Judicial Circuit Assistant State Attorney; DeANTHONY SHAMAR, Quincy Police Department Sergeant; LANE STEPHENS, Quincy Mayor Pro Tem; MICHAEL THOMAS, Edgewater City Councilmember; FRANK SEBESTYEN, Vista Lakes Community Development District Chairman; two complaints against AUDRA CURTS-WHANN, Crystal River City Manager; MICHAEL JERRAHIAN, St. Lucie County Building Official; JOSUE GUEVARA, St. Lucie County Senior Code Enforcement Officer; FELIX JIMENEZ, Inspector General of the Miami Dade County Office of the Inspector General; DARREN GRAY, Seminole County Manager; CLIFFORD LABBE, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Captain; ERIC SCOTT FLOWERS, Indian River County Sheriff; REBECCA BAYS, Citrus County Commission Chairman; JACK HILLIGOSS, Lake Wales Mayor; JAY RADTKE, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Medical Examiner; REGINALD JAMES, Gadsden County Interim County Administrator; JARET LANDON WILLIAMS, Fort Meade City Commissioner; two complaints against BERNICE ELNA FISCHER, South Palm Beach Mayor; MONTE BERENDES, South Palm Beach Vice Mayor; JANE CASTOR, City of Tampa Mayor; ROBBI COARSEY AVERY, City of Trenton Mayor; LUCY COLEMAN, Trenton City Commissioner; JANICE BRODA, Indian River Mosquito Control District Commissioner; TROY KENT, Volusia County Councilman; two complaints against THOMAS E. BENTON, Harrison Ranch Community Development District Vice Chairman; GEORGE E. FUENTE, Hialeah Police Department Chief; DENISE D. GRANT, City of Lauderhill Mayor; two complaints against ANDREW CONNORS, Titusville Mayor; KIM DOWNING, Haines City Commissioner; AL TAYLOR, Titusville Board of Adjustments and Appeals Chairman; JIM DEAN, Jackson County Administrator; JAMEY WESTBROOK, Jackson County Commissioner; DAVID WHEELER, Jefferson County Planner; STEWART COOKSEY, Jefferson County Planning Commissioner; MARY-ELLEN HARPER, Levy County Manager; ROY SIEGER, Flagler County Airport Director; DEVONTA KNIGHT, Quincy City Commissioner; SCOTT LITTLEFIELD, Quincy Police Department Lieutenant; ERIC HINSON, Gadsden County Commissioner; RICHARD ASH, former Quincy City Manager; GEORGETTE DANIELS, Quincy Finance Director; HEIDI PETITO, Flagler County Administrator; two complaints against KIM SABOL, St. Lucie County Fire District Attorney; two complaints against BRIAN GONZALEZ, St. Lucie County Fire District Assistant Fire Chief; two complaints against JEFFERY LEE, St. Lucie County Fire District Chief; JEFF BROWER, Volusia County Council Chair; REBECCA MORRIS-HAID, Jackson County Property Appraiser; RODNEY BARRETO, Florida Wildlife Commissioner; BEN TEW, Town of Norma and Town of Esto Town Clerk; ASHANTI JONES, Department of Children and Families Former Hearing Officer with the Appeals Hearings Section; ALLISON SMITH-DOSSOU, Department of Children and Families Former Hearing Officer with the Appeals Hearings Section; DARRYL ADAMS, Sterling Hill Community Development District Manager; SHANE ABBOTT, Florida State Representative; and JENNIFER MULLER, City of Jacksonville Labor Relations Officer.

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2026 Mid Session Florida Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report

2026 Mid Session Florida Ethics &
Open Government Legislative Report

On February 16th We Entered Week 6 of the Florida Regular Legislative Session with only 26 days left until Sine Die on March 13, 2026

2026 Florida Commission on Ethics’ Legislative Recommendations

Each year, the Commission makes recommendations for legislation in an effort to improve Florida’s Code of Ethics and its enforcement. In 2026 the Commission has recommended initiatives to strengthen the Florida Code of Ethics and which focus upon whistleblower protections for ethics complaint filers, the inclusion of “current and former foster parents and foster children” in the definition of “relative” for the purposes of gift acceptance, and possible clarification of the 2024 heightened requirements for the investigation of ethics complaints.  

 

Click HERE for the full text of the Commission on Ethics’ 2026 Legislative Recommendations regarding proposed legislative changes to the Code of Ethics.

 

Legislative Tracking—Summaries of bills impacting Florida ethics and open government related regulations are listed below:

The following is a list of ethics and open government bills the Florida Ethics Institute (FEI) is tracking during the 2026 Florida Regular Legislative Session. 

 

  • Bills with Ethics law implications in Florida
  • Bills with open public meetings or public records implications

CS/HB 21-PUB. REC./AGENCY EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Rep. Kendall; and Rep. Partington)

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of certain current and former agency employees and their spouse and children.

 

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
  • HB 21—has no Senate companion
  • Has been voted favorably out of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee (on 1/14/26 where a Committee Substitute or CS was filed), and the State Affairs Committee (on 2/03/26)—now in Rules
  • Added to 2nd Reading Calendar
 

CS/SB 92—EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS (Sponsored by Government Oversight & Accountability and Sen. Gaetz)

The bill seeks to create a violation of the Florida Code of Ethics and cause of action when an ethics compliant filer that is an “agency employee or independent contract” experiences retaliation after filing an ethics complaint and provides whistleblower protections carried out by the Commission on Ethics.

 

  • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Ethics and Elections; Rules
  • Passed Governmental Oversight and Accountability (with Committee Substitute) and passed out of Ethics and Elections
  • Now in Rules—on Agenda 02/17/26 12:00 PM
  • Similar Bill: HB 139—ADVERSE PERSONNEL ACTIONS AND ETHICS COMPLAINTS (Sponsored by Rep. Maney)
    • The bill seeks to create whistle-blower like protections for agency employees and independent contractors who file or participate in an ethics complaint—which are carried out by the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
    • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Rules & Ethics Committee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Government Operations Subcommittee (on 02/11/26)
    • Now in Rules & Ethics Committee on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 6:08 PM
  • Related Bill: SB 1650 – PUBLIC RECORDS/COMMISSION ON ETHICS (Sponsored by Sen. Gaetz)
    •  The bill seeks to adopt Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3243(5), F.S., creating an exemption from public records requirements for information received by the Commission on Ethics or derived from its investigations, involving allegations of retaliatory or otherwise adverse actions taken against government employees in response to filing an ethics complaint.
    • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Ethics and Elections; Rules
    • Governmental Oversight and Accountability agenda item temporarily postponed on 1/26/26
 

CS/HB 181 – PUB. REC./ PAWNBROKER TRANSACTIONS (Sponsored by Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Rep. Partington)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for records relating to pawnbroker transactions that are delivered to FDLE.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee (on 2/5/26 with Committee Substitute); and Government Operations Subcommittee (on 2/11/26)
      • Now in Judiciary Committee
    • Similar Bill: SB 1792 PUBLIC RECORDS/PAWNBROKER TRANSACTIONS (Sponsored by Sen. Yarborough)
      • Referred to Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; and Fiscal Policy
        • Now in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
 

HB 247 – PUB. REC./MUNICIPAL CLERKS (Sponsored by Reps. Campbell and Daley; Alvarez, J.; Bartleman; Driskell; Robinson, F.; Rosenwald; Tendrich)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former municipal clerks and their staff, and for the spouses and children of such personnel.

  • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee
    • Has not been heard in any committee
  • Identical Bill: SB 248 – PUBLIC RECORDS/MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND THEIR STAFF (Sponsored by Sen. Rodriguez)
    • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Has not yet been heard in any committee
 

CS/HB 251 – PUB. REC./EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PHYSICIANS (Sponsored by Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee and Rep. Esposito)

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former emergency physicians and their spouses and children.

  • Has been referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee; and Health & Human Services Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee (on 2/11/26 with Committee Substitute)
    • Now in in State Affairs Committee
  • Similar Bill: CS/SB 268 – Public Records/Emergency Department Physicians (Sponsored by Health Policy, and Sen. Rodriguez and Harrell)
    • Referred to Health Policy; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Health Policy (on 2/02/26 with Committee Substitute)
 

SB 258 – PUBLIC RECORDS/MEDICAL EXAMINERS (Sponsored by Sen. Burgess)

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former medical examiners and their spouses and children.

  • Referred to Health Policy; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
  • Has not yet been heard in committee; not scheduled
 

CS/HB 287 – PUB. REC./APPLICANTS, OWNERS, AND OPERATORS OF FAMILY FOSTER HOMES AND REFERENCES OF SUCH PERSONS (Sponsored by Human Services Subcommittee and Rep. McFarland and Conerly, Chaney)

The bill seeks to provide confidentiality and exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of applicants for family foster homes, current and former owners and operators of family foster homes (as well as their spouses and children, and other adult household members of such applicants/owners/operators),  and of character or neighbor references of family foster home applicant or current or former owner or operator of family foster home.

  • Referred to Human Services Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Health & Human Services Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Human Services Subcommittee (on 1/20/26 with Committee Substitute); Government Operations Subcommittee (on 01/29/26); and Health & Human Services Committee (on 02/10/26)
    • Added to Second Reading Calendar on Tuesday, February 10, 2026
  • Related Bill: SB 884- PUBLIC RECORDS/OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF FAMILY FOSTER HOMES
 

SB 292 – PUBLIC RECORDS/APPELLATE COURT CLERKS (Sponsored by Sen. Rouson)/ (Similar) HB 179—PUB.  REC./CURRENT APPELLATE COURT CLERK (Co-sponsored by Rep. Gottlieb and Rep. Campbell)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current “appellate court clerks” and their spouse and children.

  • Referred to Judiciary; and Rules Committees
    • Passed favorably out of Judiciary (on 12/05/25) and Rules (on 1/27/26)
    • Now in Messages
 

SB 370 – PUBLIC RECORDS/COMMISSIONERS OF THE FLORIDA COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current or former personnel and commissioners of the Florida Commission on Human Relations and their spouse and children.

  • No related bills
  • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Judiciary; and Rules
  • Has not yet been heard; not scheduled
 

SB 376 – PUBLIC RECORDS/SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNSELORS

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of sexual assault counselors.

  • No related or companion bills
  • Referred to Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
  • Has not yet been heard in committee-not scheduled
 

CS/HB 437 – PUBLIC RECORDS (Sponsored by Government Operations Subcommittee and Rep. Andrade, Campbell, and Plasencia)

Provides that it is a violation of the public records requirements of Ch. 119, F.S., to fail to acknowledge a public records request promptly and to respond to such request in good faith.

 

The bill also revises various provisions relating to custodians of public records, agencies, fees, and penalties; requires written, detailed cost estimate be provided upon request to persons seeking to inspect or copy public record; requires courts to assess specified costs, fees, and penalties; and requires certain public records exemption provisions be repealed after specified timeframe unless Legislature reenacts such exemption.

 

NOTE: Current bill language provides that an agency has three (3) business days to either—respond to a public records request, provide a cost estimate for response, or deny the request. And provides that if the agency fails to take any of these three actions “within 3 business days after receiving the public records request, the agency may not impose costs or fees for providing the requested public record.”

  • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Judiciary Committee; Justice Budget Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Government Operations Subcommittee (on 01/21/26 with Committee Substitute); Judiciary Committee; Justice Budget Subcommittee;
  • Similar Bill: SB 770-Public Records (Sponsored by Sen. Rouson)
    • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment; and General Government Fiscal Policy
    • Has not yet been heard by any committee
 

SB 466 – PUBLIC RECORDS/LEGAL ASSISTANTS/OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER/OFFICE OF CRIMINAL CONFLICT AND CIVIL REGIONAL COUNSEL (Sponsored by Sen. Wright)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of current legal assistants employed by the office of the public defender and the office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel and the personal identifying and location information of their spouses and children.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
  • Has not yet been heard by any committee
 

HB 473 – PUB. REC./CIVILIAN CONTRACTORS AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by Rep. Holcomb)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements, retroactive in application, for certain current and former civilian contractors, government employees, and their spouses dependents.

  • No related bills
  • Has been referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Has not yet been heard in any committee
 

CS/HB 509 – CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERAS (Sponsored by Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee and Rep. Partington and Kendall)

The bill seeks to require governmental entities that permit its code inspectors to wear body cameras to establish certain policies and procedures; requires such governmental entities to ensure that certain training occurs, to retain certain data in accordance with public records laws, and to perform periodic review of actual body camera practices; provides that certain provisions relating to interception of wire, electronic, and oral communications do not apply to body camera recordings made by code inspectors.

  • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee and State Affairs Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee (on 01/14/26 with Committee Substitute) and State Affairs Committee (on 02/10/26)
    • Added to Second Reading Calendar on Tuesday, February 10, 2026
    • Identical Bill: CS/SB 504-CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERAS
 

HB 511 – PUB. REC./CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERAS (Sponsored by Rep. Partington)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for body camera recordings recorded by code inspectors but requires local governments to retain body camera recordings for a specified timeframe.

  • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Added to Second Reading Calendar
  • Identical Bill: SB 506- PUBLIC RECORDS/BODY CAMERA RECORDINGS RECORDED BY A CODE Inspector (Sponsored by Sen. Burgess)
    • Referred to Community Affairs; Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Community Affairs (on 01/13/26); Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice (on 01/21/26); and Rules (on 02/03/26)
    • Currently in Messages
  • Similar Bill: HB 541 – REC./CODE INSPECTOR BODY CAMERA RECORDINGS
 

CS/SB 572 – ETHICS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by Governmental Oversight and Accountability and Rep. Harrell)

The bill ,which would become effective upon becoming law, seeks to revise the Florida Code of Ethics’ definition of the term “relative” to include foster parents and foster children—a change which has been sought by the Florida Commission on Ethics in its Legislative Proposals for 2025 and 2026. 

 

Current bill language also seeks to amend the anti-nepotism law with the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3135, F.S., to create a special exception to allow relatives serving on the same collegial body to appoint, advance, promote, and advocate for each other. This amendment, for example, would enable Jacksonville City Councilman Joe Carlucci to run for City Council Vice President, while his father Matt Carlucci also serves on the City Council—action which he sought via a advisory opinion request to the Florida Commission on Ethics initially considered at its January 23, 2026, meeting and deferred until the agency’s March 2026 meeting. 

  • Referred to Ethics and Elections, Governmental Oversight and Accountability, and Rules Committees
    • Passed favorably out of Ethics and Elections (on 01/13/26), Governmental Oversight and Accountability (on 01/26/2 with Committee Substitute), and Rules Committees (on 02/03/26)
    • The bill, as amended, is in Messages as of Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Similar Bill: HB 603 – ETHICS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by Rep. López; J. Campbell; and Valdés)
    • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Rules & Ethics; State Affairs
    • Passed favorably out of Government Operations Subcommittee
    • Now in Rules & Ethics; not scheduled
 

CS/CS/HB 655 – PUB. MEETINGS/ATTORNEY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS CLAIMS (Sponsored by Government Operations Subcommittee and Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee and Rep. Duggan, Daley, and Valdés)

The current bill language seeks to create an exemption to Florida’s open public meetings law—which mandates that all meetings of state and local governmental bodies, must be open to the public—to permit agency officials to meet privately with the agency’s attorney to discuss litigation strategy concerning claims filed by property owners under the J. Harris, Jr., Private Property Rights Protection Act and during the 90-day period before such action is filed against a governmental entity.

 

The bill provides certain protections for transparency in government—including requiring that such a closed-door, “shade meeting” between the agency and their attorney must be recorded by a court reporter, a transcript must be taken, and the recordings and transcript will become public records accessible for inspection by the public on settlement of the claim or after expiration of the statute of limitations for the claim have lapsed in the event that no litigation is filed.

 

This proposed amendment is impactful for Florida’s Sunshine Law which contains a limited exemption for “shade meetings” occurring outside of public scrutiny between collegial bodies and their attorney to discuss “pending litigation to which the entity is presently a party.” The proposed bill would expand the time frame during which a “shade meeting” could occur regarding these property claims to include the 90-day period before a claim is filed.  

  • Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
  • Passed favorably out of Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee (on 01/14/26 with Committee Substitute 1); Government Operations Subcommittee (on  01/29/26 with Committee Substitute 2); and Judiciary Committee (on 02/10/26)
  • Added to Second Reading Calendar
  • Identical Bill: CS/CS/SB 332—Public Records and Public Meetings/Private Property Rights
 

CS/HB 661 – PUB. REC./PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS (Sponsored by Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee and Rep. Stark)

The bill seeks to provide exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current and former private investigators licensed by DACS their spouses and children of such private investigators.

  • Referred to Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Commerce Committee
  • Passed favorably out of Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee (on 01/14/26 with Committee Substitute)
  • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
  • Identical Bill: CS/SB 410-Public Records/Private Investigators
    • Referred to Commerce and Tourism; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Commerce and Tourism (on 12/10/25 with Committee Substitute)
    • 01/13/26 S CS by Commerce and Tourism
 

SB 830 – PUBLIC RECORDS/COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS AND CITY MANAGERS (Sponsored by Sen. Leek)

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current county administrators, deputy county administrators, assistant county administrators, city managers, deputy city managers, and assistant city managers, including names and personal identifying and location information of their spouses and children.

  • Has been referred to Community Affairs; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Community Affairs (on 01/20/26) and Governmental Oversight and Accountability (on 02/11/26)
    • Now in Rules
  • Identical Bill: HB 263 – PUBLIC RECORDS (Sponsored by Rep. Rizo)
  • Has been referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
    • Has not yet been heard in committee
 

HB 997 – PUB. REC./PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS COMMISSION (Sponsored by Rep. Persons-Mulicka)

The bill seeks to exempt from public records requirements written communications developed in preparation for, or preliminary to, issuance of any order by the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) or its designees; exempts showing of interest statements signed by public employees and filed with PERC; exempts from public records requirements personal identifying and location information of chair, commissioners, and hearing officers of PERC and personal identifying and location information of spouses and children of such personnel.

  • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; State Administration Budget Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee
  • Has not yet been heard in any committee
  • Linked Bill: CS/HB 995-PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS COMMISSION
  • Related Bills:
    • CS/SB 1298-PUBLIC RECORDS/PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS COMMISSION
    • CS/SB 1296-PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS COMMISSION
 

HB 1055 – Pub. Rec./State Attorney and Office of Statewide Prosecution Nonlegal Support Staff (Sponsored by Rep. Greco)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements, retroactive in application, for the personal identifying and location information of current state attorney and Office of Statewide Prosecution nonlegal support staff and the spouses and children of such staff.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
    • Has not yet been heard by any committee
  • Similar Bill: SB 1084-PUBLIC RECORDS/STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AND OFFICE OF STATEWIDE PROSECUTION NONLEGAL SUPPORT STAFF
 

SB 1120 (Sponsored by Sen. Brodeur) / HB 701 (Sponsored by Conerly) (identical) | SB 802 (Sponsored by Mayfield) / HB 593 (Sponsored by Andrade) (similar) WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS

Portions of the bill pertaining to ethics (Lines 107-127 ) seek to clarify the definition of “expenditure” contained within the Florida Code of Ethics provision, s. 112.3261, F.S., governing lobbying before water management districts—and prohibits lobbyists or businesses that employ lobbyists from making, and water management district governing board members, as well as executive director, or any water management district employee from accepting, any prohibited expenditure. And would require the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate a lobbyist or a business that employs lobbyists (ie “principal”), that has made a prohibited expenditure and to provide the Governor with a report of its findings and recommendations regarding such an investigation.

 

The bill also requires the South Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to provide a detailed report that includes the total estimated remaining cost of implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and the status of applicable performance indicators for all project components; authorizing water management districts to levy certain ad valorem taxes on specified property for certain purposes; and requires that the preliminary budget for each water management district include a section that contains the district’s capital improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year.

  • Referred to Referred to Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; and Appropriations
  • Passed favorably out of Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (on 02/04/26) and Appropriations (on 02/12/26)
  • Now placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
    • Identical Bill: HB 701-Water Management Districts
      • Referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee; Ways & Means; State Affairs
        • Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee; not scheduled
      • Similar Bill: SB 802-Public Officers and Employees
        • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; and Rules
          • Introduced
        • Similar Bill: HB 593- Governmental Agencies and Personnel
          • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; State Affairs
            • Passed favorably out of Government Operations Subcommittee (on 01/29/26)
            • Now in State Affairs on agenda for 02/17/26
 

HB 1251-EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS (Sponsored by Rep. Shoaf)

The bill seeks to create the “Federalism Protection Act” which prohibits local governments from expending public funds to retain a lobbyist for representation before the executive or legislative branches of Florida government and certain discretionary expenditures—and provides that violations of this new law could be investigated by the Florida Commission on Ethics.

  • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; Rules & Ethics; and State Affairs
    • Passed favorably out of Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee (on 2/12/26)
    • Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
 

CS/CS/HB 1221-DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES (Sponsored by Insurance & Banking Subcommittee; LaMarca)

Portions of the bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida’s anti-nepotism law, Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3135, F.S., (Lines 372-382) to permit firefighters to “appoint, employ, promote, or advance,” as well as to allow for one to advocate for the employment of their own relatives as firefighters.

  • Referred to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee; State Administration Budget Subcommittee ; and Commerce Committee
  • Passed Insurance & Banking Subcommittee (with Committee Substitute 1) and State Administration Budget Subcommittee (with Committee Substitute 2)
 

CS/SB 1178 – FOREIGN INFLUENCE (Sponsored by Ethics & Elections; Grall; Avila)

Seeks to require agents of foreign principals and foreign-supported political organizations to register with Division of Elections and provides registration requirements and requires periodic updates by such agents & organizations.


Portions of the bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.313, F.S., to add the definitions of “Designated foreign terrorist organization” and “Foreign country of concern” and to amend the anti-bribery restrictions of s. 112.313(2), F.S., to prohibit public officials from soliciting or accepting a “anything of value” from a designated foreign terrorist organization or “foreign country of concern or any of its subdivisions.” 

 

The ethics portions of the bill also seek to amend the annual ethics training requirements of the Code of Ethics contained in s. 112.3142, F.S., to require that certain public officials receive training on “known efforts by foreign countries of concern to target and influence subnational governments” including “the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front strategy,” “how to identify, recognize, and report suspected foreign influence campaigns,” and prohibitions on receiving gifts from foreign countries of concern or designated foreign terrorist organizations.

  • Referred to Ethics and Elections; Judiciary; Appropriations
    • Passed favorably out of Ethics and Elections (on 01/28/26 with Committee Substitute); and Judiciary (on 02/03/26)
    • Now in Appropriations
  • Similar Bill: CS/CS/HB 905-FOREIGN INFLUENCE (Sponsored by Judiciary Committee and Government Operations Subcommittee and Persons-Mulicka; Alvarez, D.; Cassel; Fabricio; Owen; Redondo; Valdés)
    • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Judiciary; Commerce; and State Affairs
 

SB 1572 -DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES (Sponored by Sen. DiCeglie)

The bill seeks to primarily establish the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight within the Department of Financial Services. Portions of the bill germane to ethics (Lines 120-126) provide that the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight may report any evidence of ethical wrongdoing by local government officials to the Florida Commission on Ethics.

  • Referred to Banking and Insurance; Appropriations; and Rules
    • Has not yet been heard in committee
  • Similar Bill: HB 1303-DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
    • Referred to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee; Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; and Commerce Committee
      • Now in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
 

SB 1620-PUBLIC EDUCATION (Sponsored by Leek and Gaetz)

The bill which primarily seeks to provide members of district school boards with specified rights and authority had initially contained language seeking to amend Florida’s anti-nepotism law contained within s. 112.3135, F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics to remove an exemption for school boards and expressly make the anti-nepotism protections of the Code of Ethics applicable to them—but which was removed via the Committee Substitute adopted on 02/10/26).

  • Referred to Education Pre-K-12; Judiciary; Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Education Pre-K-12 (on 02/03/26) and Judiciary (on 02/10/26 with Committee Substitute)
  • Related Bill: CS/HB 1073-SCHOOL DISTRICTS
 

CS/HB 1113 – PUB. REC./CRIME VICTIMS (Sponsored by Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Rep. Tuck)

The bill seeks to expand an existing public records exemption for crime victims to include the name and personal identification number of crime victims and any other information or record that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse victim or victim’s family. The bill provides that such exemption includes records generated by any agency that regularly generates information from or concerning victims of crime and provides that certain records identifying law enforcement officers who are involved in use of force incident are confidential and exempt for a specified timeframe.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
    • Passed favorably out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee (with Committee Substitute); and Government Operations Subcommittee
    • Now in Judiciary Committee–on agenda for 02/17/26 8:30 AM
  • Identical Bill: CS/SB 350-PUBLIC RECORDS/CRIME VICTIMS (Sponsored by Governmental Oversight and Accountability and Grall)
    • Referred to Criminal Justice (on 12/09/25); and Governmental Oversight and Accountability (on 01/26/26 with Committee Substitute;
    • Now in Rules on agenda for 02/17/26
 

HB 1283 – COMPLAINTS AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS (Sponsored by Government Operations Subcommittee; Rep. Fabricio and Blanco;Alvarez, J.; Holcomb; Plasencia)

The bill as amended seeks to impact portions of the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights which already prohibits the independent investigation of complaints filed against law enforcement officers on the local level by prohibiting political subdivisions of the state from adopting or attempting to enforce any ordinance relating to the investigation of complaints against law enforcement or correctional officers. 

 

Rather, the law tasks each law enforcement agency with developing and maintaining its own system for receiving and investigating such complaints.

The bill seeks to further refine the manner in which complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers on the local level may be investigated by amending s. 112.532, F.S., to require that the names of all complainants must be provided with a copy of the complaint, signed by the complainant, unless the “complaint is accompanied by corroborating evidence.”

 

The bill further provides that any complaint investigation “which does not result in any disciplinary action to the officer may not affect the ability of such officer to receive a promotion, raise, or other commendation.”

 

The bill also seeks to amend, s. 112.533, F.S., to provide criminal penalties for  a ”complainant who makes a false complaint.”

 

NOTE: The bill solely seeks to impact complaints filed on the political subdivision level and does not attempt to amend or abrogate the State Commission on Ethics’ jurisdictional authority to conduct independent investigations of ethics complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
  • Passed favorably out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee (on 01/28/26); Government Operations Subcommittee (on 02/11/26 with Committee Substitute)
  • Now in Judiciary Committee
  • Identical Bill: SB 1544-COMPLAINTS AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONAL Officers (Sponsored by Sen. Pizzo)
    • Referred to Criminal Justice; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Criminal Justice (on 02/02/26)
    • Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
 

HB 1361 – PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS PERTAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (Sponsored by Rep. Woodson)

The bill seeks to amend the Public Records law, Section 119.07(3)(e), F.S., to require that individuals requesting to inspect or copy a public record “relating to a law enforcement officer” must provide a “valid driver license or identification card issued by this state or another state” and in the agency “must retain a copy of such license or identification card” with the public records request.

  • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; and State Affairs Committee
  • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
  • Related Bill: SB 1426 – ACCESSING PERSONNEL FILES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (Sponsored by Rodriguez)

The bill seeks to create s. 112.537, F.S., which would require the agency of law enforcement officers to maintain a record log—containing the name, address, and identification—of any person who requested a copy of a personnel file of a law enforcement officer as a public record.

  • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Criminal Justice; and Rules
  • Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
 

HB 1373 – PUB. REC./JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by Rep. Antone)

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current and former employees of Judicial Qualifications Commission (the Florida agency that regulates judges) and the personal identifying and location information of spouses and children of such employees.

  • Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee; Government Operations Subcommittee; and Judiciary Committee
  • Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee
  • Identical Bill: SB 144-PUBLIC RECORDS/JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION (Sponsored by Sen. Rouson)
    • Referred to Judiciary; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Judiciary (on 01/27/26)
    • Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 4:33 PM
 

SB 1622-PENALTIES FOR LATE-FILED DISCLOSURES OR STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS (Sponroed by Sen. Rodriguez)

The bill seeks to amend the financial disclosure provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3144 and 112.3145, F.S., to create a one-time waiver of the assessment of automatic fines associated with late filing a financial disclosure report “the first time” it is late filed.

  • Referred to Ethics and Elections; Community Affairs; Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Ethics and Elections (01/28/26) and Community Affairs (on 02/10/26)
    • Now in Rules-on agenda for 02/17/26 12:00 PM
  • Identical Bill: HB 1369-PENALTIES FOR LATE-FILED DISCLOSURES OR STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS (Sponsored by Rep. Antone)
    • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee; Rules & Ethics; State Affairs
      • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee, not scheduled
 

SB 1546 – PUBLIC RECORDS/COMMISSION ON ETHICS

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former employees and commissioners of the Florida Commission on Ethics and their spouses and dependents.

  • Referred to Ethics and Elections; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
  • Has not yet been heard in any committee; Introduced but not scheduled
 

HB 6011 – REPORTING THE RECEIPT OF GIFTS OR HONORARIA

The bill seeks to amend the gifts and honoraria provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3148 and 112.3149, F.S., to remove the requirement to file annual gift and honorarium disclosure statements (in particular, the Form 10) alongside financial disclosure filings by requiring that both current and former reporting individuals or procurement employees submit gifts and honoraria reports to the Florida Commission on Ethics and aligns all reporting deadlines and locations under the Commission on Ethics for greater consistency.

  • Referred to Rules & Ethics; and State Affairs
  • Passed favorably out of Rules & Ethics (on 2/5/26)
  • Now in State Affairs Committee-on agenda for: 02/17/26 8:30 AM
  • Similar Bill: SB 964 – FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES (Sponsored by Sen. Wright)
    • The bill seeks to amend the gifts and honoraria provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3148 and 112.3149, F.S., to remove the requirement to file annual gift and honorarium disclosure statements alongside financial disclosure filings by requiring that both current and former reporting individuals or procurement employees submit gifts and honoraria reports to the Florida Commission on Ethics and aligns all reporting deadlines and locations under the Commission on Ethics for greater consistency.
    • Referred to Ethics and Elections; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Rules
    • Passed favorably out of Ethics and Elections (on 01/21/26) and Governmental Oversight and Accountability (02/11/26)
    • Now in Rules; not scheduled
 

HB 7003 – OGSR/CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT REINVESTIGATION INFORMATION (Sponsored by Government Operations Subcommittee and Gentry)

Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public records requirements for certain conviction integrity unit reinvestigation information.

  • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee and State Affairs Committee
  • Passed favorably out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee (on 12/02/25) and State Affairs Committee (on 01/22/26)
  • Bill added to Special Order Calendar
  • Identical Bill: SB 7004 – OGSR/CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT REINVESTIGATION INFORMATION

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— January 2026 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—January 2026 Meeting

January 29, 2026

Fl COE January Meeting
Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Friday, January 23, 2026, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s governmental ethics laws, took action on an array of matters involving public officials

Public Session
Commission Welcomes Two New Members & Elects New Vice Chair

The Commission welcomed two new members to the Board at its meeting on Friday. Joseph Oglesby, a Project Manager specializing in emergency response and disaster recovery. Commissioner Oglesby previously served as a Manager of Ernst and Young and was the Deputy Director of the Office of Long-Term Resiliency and Economic Recovery Bureau Chief for the Florida Department of Commerce. During the January 23 meeting Commissioner Oglesby was unanimously elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Florida Commission on Ethics.

 

Also joining the Commission is Abbey Stewart. Commissioner Stewart is the Vice President of Programs & Planning at Leadership Florida. Previously, she served as the Chief of the Bureau of Educator Recruitment, Development, Retention, Recognition, and Preparation for the Florida Department of Education.

Joseph Oglesby
Abbey Stewart
Abbey Stewart
Settlement of Ethics Complaint Filed Against Former Boca Raton Mayor

The Commission approved a Settlement agreement (referred to as “Joint Stipulation”) entered into between former Boca Raton Mayor, Susan Haynie, and the Commission’s attorney (referred to as “Advocate”) which dismissed several allegations of the initial complaint wherein probable cause had been found to exist and settled the remaining allegations which involved the filing of inaccurate financial disclosure filings in 2012 and 2013.


As detailed in the “Public Report and Order Dismissing Certain Allegations in Complaint” although the Commission after its initial investigation had found probable cause to believe that Haynie had violated the ethics laws by filing inaccurate financial disclosure filings in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016; that she had misused her official position by concealing a business relationship for her special private benefit; voted on matters which she knew inured to her own special private gain or to the special private gain of her spouse and/or business associate; and had a conflict of interest by maintaining certain business relationships with parties that appeared before her board—the Settlement approved at Friday’s meeting retroactively applied the newly implemented heightened complaint standard that only allegations based upon “personal knowledge or information other than hearsay” are legally sufficient. Pursuant to this heightened complaint standard the Commission found that only the financial disclosure allegations concerning Haynie’s Form 1 filings satisfied this requirement and all other allegations were dismissed.


With respect to the remaining financial disclosure allegations the Commission found that Haynie filed inaccurate 2012 and 2013 Form 1 disclosures and a civil penalty of $1,000 and public censure and reprimand were recommended for imposition by the Governor.

Settlement of Ethics Complaint Filed Against Lake Worth Beach City Commissioner

The Commission also adopted a Settlement agreement between the Commission’s attorney and Lake Worth Beach City Commissioner, Reinaldo Diaz. The Settlement found that Diaz violated the law by failing to timely file his 2023 Form 1, Statement of Financial Interests. In light of this violation a civil penalty of $500 and public censure and reprimand was recommended for imposition by the Governor.

Dismissal of Attorneys Fees Petition by the Former Interim City Manager for Palatka

The Commission dismissed a Petition for Costs & Attorney Fees filed by the former Interim City Manager for the City of Palatka, Florida, Johnathan Griffith, against the Complainant in the underlying ethics complaint filed against him. The petition was dismissed because it failed to substantively allege that the Complainant had made any material allegations in the complaint that he knew to be false, or that he filed the complaint with reckless disregard for the truth—which are requirements to state a sufficient claim for costs and attorney’s fees pursuant to s. 112.317(7), F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics.

Dismissal of Ethics Complaint Filed Against a Former Riviera Beach City Council and Commissioner for the City’s Redevelopment Agency

The Commission voted to dismiss a complaint filed against former Riviera Beach City Council and Commissioner for the City’s Redevelopment Agency, Terence Davis. Although in September 2020 the Commission found probable cause to believe that the ethics laws requiring the reporting of gifts over $100 had been violated, in the “Amended Advocate’s Motion to Dismiss” the Commission’s attorney explained that the dismissal of the complaint was warranted due to the absence of clear and convincing evidence that any gifts were actually received by Davis.

Ethics Advisory Opinions

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising Manatee County Commissioner that the Use of Official Commission Letterhead to Endorse Candidates Would be a Misuse of Public Resources

The Commission adopted draft Ethics Opinion 2824 advising a current member of the Manatee County Commission that his use of official County-approved letterhead to endorse a candidate for election—would violate a State ethics law prohibiting the misuse of one’s official position and resources. However, the Commission noted that the ethics laws would not prohibit the Commissioner from making such an endorsement on self-created letterhead, using only private resources, but which identifies him as a commissioner but does not contain his official contact information or commissioner email and clearly states that the endorsement represents his private opinion and not the official position of the government entity.

 

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising Pension Board Member Regarding Gifts Law Implications of Winning Raffle Prizes  

The Commission also adopted draft Ethics Opinion 2826 advising a current member of the St. Lucie  Fire District Pension Board who files a Form 1, and is thus subject to heightened gifts restrictions under Florida law, that paying for a raffle ticket for the chance to win an all-expense paid trip—constituted payment of “equal or greater consideration” such that the prize, if won, would not be considered a gift nor would it need to be reported.

 

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising a Former Psychologist for the Department of Corrections on the Post Public Employment Restrictions

The Commission also adopted draft Ethics Opinion 2828 advising a former Senior Psychologist at the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) that a post-public-employment restriction contained in s. 112.3185(4), F.S., would prohibit her for two years after leaving her public position—from  performing work for a private company in connection with a contract that the company has with the Department and which was within her responsibilities while publicly employed. However, the Commission further clarified that she would not be prohibited from working for the company on matters unrelated to the existing contract with the FDOC.

 

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising the Secretary of the Department of Corrections on Compliance with Post Public Employment Restrictions

The Commission adopted draft Ethics Opinion 2029 which advised the current Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections concerning the post-public-employment restrictions of the Florida Code of Ethics and the Sunshine Amendment (Art. II, s. 8, Fla. Const.) that would apply should he leave his public position.  The Commission advised the Secretary he would need to be cognizant of, and compliant with, a two-year communications restriction which would prohibit him from representing clients before his former agency or personnel thereof after leaving public employment, as well as contract specific restrictions applicable to former State agency personnel. And the Commission further advised the Secretary concerning the six-year constitutional lobbying ban found in Art. II, s. 8(f)(3)b, of the Florida Constitution.

 

Commission Defers Consideration of Ethics Opinion on the Application of the Anti-Nepotism Restriction to Members of the Jacksonville City Council

The Commission voted to defer to the consideration of Draft Ethics Opinion 2830 to its March 2026 meeting after counsel for the City of Jacksonville argued that the anti-nepotism provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3135, F.S., should not apply to internal leadership elections of the Jacksonville City Council—including those for President and Vice President of the Council. During the oral argument at the January 23 Commission meeting counsel for the City also proffered a letter from the Attorney General’s Office of General Counsel which he stated supported the City’s position that the anti-nepotism law would not be violated where the son of a Jacksonville City Council member, who’s father is also a City Council member, to be appointed by his peers to the position of Council President or Vice President.

 

The Draft Ethics Opinion written by Commission staff found that the anti-nepotism law would prohibit this appointment in light of the familial relationships as it constituted “appointing him to a position of higher rank, dignity, or importance.”

After the first vote to approve the Draft Ethics Opinion failed due to a tie vote, the matter was deferred to the March 2026 Commission meeting to allow for additional time for consideration of the letter from the Attorney General’s Office of General Counsel.

 

Executive Session

During its closed session meeting (wherein confidential and exempt matters are addressed) the Commission took action on 129 matters. In a Press Release issued January 28, 2026, the Commission made the following findings.

 

Ethics Complaints Considered for Probable Cause
 

During the Executive Session meeting, 21 ethics complaints were considered for probable cause. Commission determinations regarding probable cause are based upon the ethics complaint, the Report of Investigation, the Advocate’s Recommendation, as well as written statements submitted by the respondent (against whom the complaint is filed) and any oral statements made at the meeting. A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Coral Gables Commissioner, Melissa Castro. Probable cause was found to believe Ms. Castro had a conflicting contractual relationship that created a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between her private interests and the performance of her public duties when her private business, a company that provided expedited permit assistance, continued to pull permits in the city after her election.

 

The Commission considered seven allegations in a complaint filed against former Lake St. Charles Community Development District Property Manager, Mark Cooper. Three allegations concerned a concrete walkway poured from Mr. Cooper’s driveway to the front door, with unused concrete from a district walking trail project. Probable cause was found that he violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit and misused his position regarding the allegation. No probable cause was found to believe that he accepted the concrete walkway when he knew or should have known that it was given to influence him. The other four allegations related to Mr. Cooper entering into a consultant agreement with the district while continuing to be employed by the district. Probable cause was found that he misused his public position, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit regarding the contract, and that he had a prohibited business relationship and a conflicting contractual relationship that created a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between his private interests and public duties by virtue of the consulting agreement.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Coquina Water Control District (CWCD) Supervisor, Tonya Schumacher. Probable cause was found to believe Ms. Schumacher had a conflicting contractual relationship with a security company that was also doing business with the CWCD.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that Marshall Creek Community Development District (MCCDD) Chairman, Howard Entman, abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when he sent an email to a MCCDD-maintained resident distribution list that reflected his personal views as a resident.

 

The Commission found no probable cause to believe that Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Commander, Alan Canfield, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit and misused his position when he spoke against the installation of speed bumps before a Laguna Lakes Board of Directors meeting. Allegations that he used his LCSO cell phone to send emails and provided his LCSO business card during the speed bump dispute were also dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Venetian Isles Community Development District Supervisor, Mary Ann Delgado. No probable cause was found on allegations she failed to accurately complete the primary sources of income section on her 2020, 2021, and 2022 Form 1 disclosures.

 

The Commission considered two related complaints filed against Concorde Estates Community Development District (CDD) Board of Supervisors members Cesar Goyetche and Badia Strachan and no probable cause was found to believe that Ms. Strachan and Mr. Goyetche abused their positions to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused their positions to exempt property from non-ad valorem taxes.

 

The Commission also held a probable cause hearing on another Concorde Estates Community Development District (CDD) Board of Supervisors member, Victor Cruz. No probable cause was found to believe he was doing business with his agency or that he had a conflicting employment or contractual relationship regarding checks he received from the CDD in his individual capacity that exceeded the amount he was authorized to receive as a Supervisor. An allegation that his son was hired by the CDD in violation of the anti-nepotism law also was dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Sanford City Commissioner, Sheena Rena Britton. Probable cause was found on allegations that Ms. Britton failed to timely file her 2019 and 2023 Form 1 disclosures. However, the Commission elected to take no further action on the allegations due to the particular circumstances of the matter. In addition, an allegation that she failed to complete required ethics training for calendar year 2023 resulted in a finding of no probable cause.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Bronson Town Council member, Rachel F. Weeks. No probable cause was found to believe that Ms. Weeks had a voting conflict when she voted not to renew a contract with a private company managing the Town’s planning, zoning, and permitting services. The Commission also found no probable cause to believe Ms. Weeks abused her position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused her position by participating in the vote.

 

The Commission found no probable cause to believe St. Lucie County Commissioner, Cathy Townsend, had a conflicting employment or contractual relationship when her non-profit organization entered into a grant agreement with the County.

 

The Commission found probable cause to believe Fellsmere Water Control District Manager, Mark Mathes, misused his position to change voting procedures without telling the Landowners.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Fabian Basabe. No probable cause was found on an allegation that he misused his position regarding a staffer.

 

The Commission found no probable cause to believe that Director of Water and Wastewater Systems for the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Bowdoin G. Hutchinson, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position regarding allegations that he conducted personal business during work hours.

 

In a complaint filed against Flagler Beach City Manager, Dale L. Martin, the Commission found no probable cause to believe he misused his position or used information gained by his official position, which was not available to the general public, regarding the sale of a city-owned golf course.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that District Manager for the Villages of Westport Community Development District, Darrin Mossing, misused his position regarding contracts for security services.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Polk County Building Inspector, Herman Blom, and found no probable cause on allegations that he misused his position by signing off on property inspections he should not have passed.

 

The Commission found probable cause to believe that Bradford County Zoning Director, Randal Andrews, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit and misused his position when he used his County-issued email to correspond with prospective buyers of a property he owned.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that Polk County Commissioner, William Braswell, abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when he posted an advertisement for his commercial blueberry farm on his social media account.

 

A self-initiated investigation – required by statute – to determine if Suwanee County School Board member, Tim Alcorn, willfully failed to file his 2022 and 2023 Form 6 disclosures, resulted in a finding of probable cause. However, the Commission elected to take no further action on the allegation due to the particular circumstances of the matter.

 

A referral by the State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, Harold Pryor, regarding City of Pembroke Pines Commissioner and Teacher at Charles W. Flanagan High School, Jay Schwartz, was dismissed as legally insufficient.

 

 

Ethics Complaints Dismissed for Lacking Legal Sufficiency
 
The Commission also reviewed and dismissed 107 ethics complaints for lacking legal sufficiency. These reviews are limited to questions of jurisdiction and determinations as to whether the contents of the complaint are adequate to allege a violation of the Code of Ethics or other laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In any matter where a complaint is found legally insufficient and dismissed, the Commission will issue an order explaining the rationale for the dismissal which is a public record accessible to the public upon request.

 

At its meeting the Commission dismissed complaints filed against the following public servants due to a lack of legal sufficiency: GWENDOLYN J. LAFFERTY, City of Bunnell Planning, Zoning, and Appeals Board; three complaints against BEVERLY NASH, City of Quincy Mayor; SCOTT STEWART, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Deputy; STEPHEN COLWELL, Deltona City Commissioner; MARITZA AVILA-VAZQUEZ, Deltona City Commissioner; NICK LULLI, Deltona City Commissioner; EMILY BRANN, Leon County Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Investigator; DIANE GULLET, Former Marion County Public Schools Superintendent; CLAUDE BRUCE, Leon County Building Inspector; JIMMY BURRY, Leesburg City Commissioner; BOB DANIELS, Sewall’s Point Town Manager; MEGAN MOSCOSO, Brevard County Communications Coordinator and City of Titusville Councilwoman; KATHRYN “KATIE” DELANEY, Brevard County Commissioner; DARRELL C. THOMPSON, Long Lake Ranch Community Development District Supervisor; DAVID JOSEPH BIECK, Fort Walton Beach Police Officer; TAYLOR YARKOSKY, Florida State Representative for District 25; JENNIFER BRAMLEY, Dunedin City Manager; BRANDON PATTY, St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller; CHRISTINE MALLATT, Heritage Landing Community Development District Vice Chair; APRIL BIEGLER, Official Records and Courts Supervisor for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit; ALYSA L. JOHNSTON, Palm Coast Acting City Manager; DEAN L. WALTERS, Harbor Bay Community Development District Supervisor and Secretary; CYNTHIA MCINTYRE, Cory Lake Isles Community Development District Supervisor; DAYNA WILLIAMS, Alachua City Commissioner; JILL BURNS, Eden Hills Community Development District Manager; five complaints against DANIEL LEVENTRY, Harbor Bay Community Development District Supervisor; DALE “DOC” DOUGHERTY, Deltona City Manager; BETTY ERHARD, Brooksville City Council Member; GEORGE JACOB THOMAS, Fort White Mayor; TOM SCHLICK, University of Florida Director of Grounds, Facilities, and Services; ROY SIEGER, Flagler Executive Airport Director; MARK CARUSO, Winter Springs City Commissioner; CATHY TOWNSEND, St. Lucie County Commissioner; two complaints against TIMOTHY NARGI, Harbor Bay Community Development District Member of the Board of Supervisors; LORESSA M. FELIX, Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics General Counsel and Deputy Director; BRENDA D. FORMAN, Broward County Clerk of Courts; VICTOR COLOMBO, Harrison Ranch Community Development District Supervisor and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Crossing Guard Supervisor; NICK NESTA, Apopka City Commissioner; SEAN WILCOX, Coquina Water Control District Board Member; STACI MARIE DIRENZO, Broward County Assistant State Attorney; MICHELLE POIRIER, ED (EDDIE) HARRIS and DANIEL (DAN) SUMNER, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Agricultural Environmental Services Inspectors; JAMES WESLEY, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Agricultural Environmental Services Supervisor; WILTON SIMPSON, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture; KATHY MEARS, Florida Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture; JOSE GILL, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Apiary Inspector for Region I; four complaints against DARRIN MOSSING, Villages of Westport Community Development District Manager; BARBARA KING, South Bay City Commissioner; DENISE O’CONNELL, Monroe County Property Appraiser Executive Assistant; JARED JETER, Fort Walton Beach City Councilman; DEAN BRITT, Quarry Community Development District Chairperson; LUZ NELLY VELASQUEZ, Surfside Town Commissioner; MARK BLUMSTEIN, Surfside Town Manager; RICK WILSON, Polk County Commission Chairman; JAMES NEWLON, Casselberry City Manager; JORGE E. ROSERO, Village of Biscayne Park Acting Police Chief; ART GONZALEZ, Village of Biscayne Park Commissioner; ANN COFFIN, Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Program Director; JOE HALMAN, JR., Polk County Deputy County Manager; KEVIN GAGNE, Eagle Pointe Community Development District Chair; two complaints against AUDREY FESIK, Pompano Beach City Commissioner; CRYSTAL BRYANT, Avon Park Housing Authority Vice-Chair; BERNIECE TAYLOR, Avon Park City Council; two complaints against GREGORY TONY, Broward County Sheriff; EDWIN FERGUSON, Palm Beach County School Board Member; HOWELL (TRIP) LANCASTER, III, Fanning Springs Mayor; ERIC HINSON and ALONZETTA SIMPKINS, Gadsden County Commissioners; REGINALD JAMES, Gadsden County Interim County Administrator; ROOSEVELT MORRIS, Gadsden County Interim Assistant County Administrator and Building Manager; ARTHUR CZYSZCZON, Treasure Island City Commissioner; DAVID SUAREZ, Miami Beach City Commissioner; MICHAEL PORATH, Welaka Chief of Police; WILLIAM VOSE, Orange County Commissioner; MICHAEL HARRIS, Lee County School District Assistant Director of Professional Standards; ROBERT DODIG, Lee County School District General Counsel; RICHARD D. CHESS, Fort Pierce City Manager; AMY JO CARROLL, Groveland City Council Member; KAREN WOODSON, Fort Myers Beach Town Council Member; JOHN R. KING, Fort Myers Beach Town Council Member; JAMES GLEASON, Lake Helen City Administrator; ANDREW CONNORS, Titusville Mayor; ANDREA KEEZER, Williams Elementary School Principal; SHAWN MCCAIG, Lakeshore Ranch Community Development District Supervisor; NAZLY CARDONA, Pembroke Park Town Building Department employee; CAROL J. BREECE, Broward County Inspector General; MUSFIKA KASHEM, Pembroke Park Vice Mayor; OCEA WYNN, City of Tampa Administrator of Neighborhood and Community Affairs; CHARLOTTE JOYCE, Duval County School Board Member; DONALD L. EDENFIELD, Jackson County Sheriff; CHRISTOPHER BOYCE, Lake County Compliance & Monitoring Specialist; CHRIS DZADOVSKY, candidate for Fort Pierce City Commission District 2; CURTIS JOHNSON, JR., Fort Pierce City Commissioner; and JUANITA BRUNSON, Quincy Interim City Clerk.

 

 

2026 Pre-Session Florida Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report

2026 Pre-Session Florida Ethics & Open Government Legislative Report

The 2026 Legislative Session Commences on January 13, 2026, and is Scheduled to End on March 13, 2026

2026 Florida Commission on Ethics’ Legislative Recommendations  
 

Each year, the Ethics Commission makes recommendations for legislation in an effort to improve Florida’s Code of Ethics and its enforcement. In 2026 the Commission has recommended initiatives to strengthen the Florida Code of Ethics which focus upon whistleblower protections for ethics complaint filers, the inclusion of “current and former foster parents and foster children” in the definition of “relative” for the purposes of gift acceptance, and possible clarification of the 2024 heightened requirements for the investigation of ethics complaints.

Click HERE for the full text of the Commission on Ethics’ 2026 Legislative Recommendations. 

Legislative Tracking—Summaries of the bills impacting Florida’s ethics and open government related regulations are listed below:

The following is a list of ethics and open government bills the Florida Ethics Institute (FEI) is tracking during the 2026 Florida Regular Legislative Session. The bills identified are divided into those proposed in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate.

 

  • Bills with ethics law implications 
  • Bills with open public meetings or public records implications

Florida House of Representatives

 

HB 21-Pub. Rec./Medical Examiners

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former medical examiners and their spouse and children.

  • Related Bill: SB 258 – Public Records/Medical Examiners

 

HB 139—Adverse Personnel Actions and Ethics Complaints

The bill seeks to create whistle-blower like protections for government employees by prohibiting government agencies and independent contractors from taking adverse retaliatory personnel actions against public employees who file ethics complaints with the Florida Commission on Ethics or participate in the investigation of a complaint or referral.

  • Related Bill: CS/SB 92—Employee Protections
 

HB 179—Pub.  Rec./Current Appellate Court Clerk

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current appellate court clerks and their spouse and children.

  • Related Bill: SB 292 – Public Records/Appellate Court Clerks
 

HB 181 – Pub. Rec./Legal Assistants

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of current legal assistants employed by office of public defender and office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel and for the spouse and children of such legal assistants.

  • Related Bill: SB 466—Public Records/Legal Assistants/Office of the Public Defender/Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel
 

HB 247 – Pub. Rec./Municipal Clerks

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former municipal clerks and their staff, and for the spouses and children of such personnel.

  • Related Bill: SB 248 – Public Records/Municipal Clerks and their Staff
 

HB 251 – Pub. Rec./Emergency Physicians

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former emergency physicians and their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: SB 268 – Public Records/Emergency Physicians
 

HB 263 – Public Records

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current county administrators, deputy county administrators, assistant county administrators, city managers, deputy city managers, and assistant city managers, including names and personal identifying and location information of their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: SB 830-Public Records/County Administrators and City Managers
 

HB 287 – Pub. Rec./Owners and Operators of Family Foster Homes

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current and former owners and operators of family foster homes and of their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: SB 884-Public Records/Owners and Operators of Family Foster Homes
 

HB 437-Public Records

Provides that it is a violation of the public records requirements of Ch. 119, F.S., to fail to acknowledge a public records request promptly and to respond to such request in good faith. The bill also revises various provisions relating to custodians of public records, agencies, fees, and penalties; requires written, detailed cost estimate be provided upon request to persons seeking to inspect or copy public record; requires courts to assess specified costs, fees, and penalties; and requires certain public records exemption provisions be repealed after specified timeframe unless Legislature reenacts such exemption.

  • Related Bill: SB 770-Public Records
 

HB 473 – Pub. Rec./Civilian Contractors and Government Employees

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements, retroactive in application, for certain current and former civilian contractors, government employees, and their spouses dependents.

 

HB 509 – Code Inspector Body Cameras

The bill seeks to require governmental entities that permit its code inspectors to wear body cameras to establish certain policies and procedures; requires such governmental entities to ensure that certain training occurs, to retain certain data in accordance with public records laws, and to perform periodic review of actual body camera practices; and provides that certain provisions relating to interception of wire, electronic, and oral communications do not apply to body camera recordings made by code inspectors.

  • Related Bills:
    • HB 511 Rec./Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • SB 504 Code Inspector Body Cameras          
    • HB 539 Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • SB 506 Public Records/Body Camera Recordings Recorded by a Code Inspector
 

HB 511 – Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Cameras

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for body camera recordings recorded by code inspectors but requires local governments to retain body camera recordings for a specified timeframe.

  • Related Bills:
    • HB 509 -Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • SB 506-Public Records/Body Camera Recordings Recorded by a Code Inspector
    • HB 541-Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Camera Recordings
    • SB 504-Code Inspector Body Cameras
 

HB 541 – Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Camera Recordings

Provides an exemption from public records requirements for body camera recordings recorded by code inspectors and provides exceptions but requires local government to retain body camera recordings for specified period.

  • Related Bills:
    • HB 539 -Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • HB 511-Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • SB 506-Public Records/Body Camera Recordings Recorded by a Code Inspector
 

HB 593 – Governmental Agencies and Personnel

Portions of the bill pertaining to the Florida Code of Ethics seek to adopt s. 112.31251, F.S., defining “office” and “employment” for the purpose of the dual office-holding prohibition found in Art. II, s. 5(a) of the State Constitution.

It also seeks to clarify the definition of “expenditure” contained within the Florida Code of Ethics provision, s. 112.3261, F.S., governing lobbying before water management districts—and prohibits lobbyists or businesses that employ lobbyists from making, and water management district governing board members, as well as executive director, or any water management district employee from accepting, any expenditure.

  • Related Bills:
    • SB 802-Public Officers and Employees
    • HB 701-Water Management Districts
 

HB 603 – Ethics for Public Employees

The bill seeks to revise the definition section of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.312, F.S., to include foster parents and foster children within the definition of “relative”—a change which has been sought by the Florida Commission on Ethics in its Legislative Proposals.

  • Related Bill: SB 572-Ethics for Public Employees
 

HB 655 – Pub. Meetings/Attorney Meetings to Discuss Private Property Rights Claims

The bill seeks to create an exemption to Florida’s open public meetings law to permit “any board or commission of any state agency or authority or any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity” to meet in private “with the entity’s attorney” within a certain time frame. And provides that specified entities may meet in private with their attorneys to discuss certain claims concerning private property rights but requires that such meetings must be transcribed and that such transcripts will become public records at specified times.

  • Related Bill: SB 332—Public Meetings
 

HB 661 – Pub. Rec./Private Investigators

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former private investigators licensed by DACS and for the spouses and children of such private investigators.

  • Related Bill: CS/SB 410-Public Records/Private Investigators
 

HB 701 – Water Management Districts

Portions of the bill pertaining to ethics seek to amend the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3261, F.S., to require the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate a lobbyist or a business that employs a lobbyist (referred to as a “principal”) who has made a prohibited expenditure to a water management official and to provide the Governor with a report of its findings and recommendations regarding such an investigation. The bill further seeks to prohibit lobbyists and businesses that employ them from giving, and certain water management officials from accepting, prohibited expenditures made for the purpose of lobbying.

  • Related Bills:
    • HB 593-Governmental Agencies and Personnel
    • SB 802-Public Officers and Employees
 

HB 905 -Foreign Influence

The bill primarily seeks to require agents of foreign principals and foreign-supported political organizations to register with Division of Elections and provides registration requirements and requires periodic updates by such agents and organizations.

 

Portions of the bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.313, F.S., to add the definitions of “Designated foreign terrorist organization” and “Foreign country of concern” and to amend the anti-bribery restrictions of s. 112.313(2), F.S., to prohibit public officials from soliciting or accepting a “gift from a designated foreign terrorist organization” or anyone acting on their behalf including “travel costs or any reimbursements for costs of attending a conference or other event, from a foreign country of concern” or anyone acting on their behalf.

 

The ethics portions of the bill also seek to amend the annual ethics training requirements contained in s. 112.3142, F.S., to require that certain public officials receive training on “known efforts by foreign countries of concern to target and influence subnational governments” including “the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front strategy,” “how to identify, recognize, and report suspected foreign influence campaigns,” and “prohibitions on receiving gifts from foreign countries of concern or designated foreign terrorist organizations.”

 

HB 997 – Pub. Rec./Public Employees Relations Commission

The bill seeks to exempt from public records requirements written communications developed in preparation for, or preliminary to, the issuance of any order by the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) or its designees; exempts showing of interest statements signed by public employees and filed with PERC; exempts from public records requirements personal identifying and location information of chair, commissioners, and hearing officers of PERC and personal identifying and location information of spouses and children of such personnel.

  • Related Bill: HB 995-Public Employees Relations Commission
 

HB 1055 – Pub. Rec./State Attorney and Office of Statewide Prosecution Nonlegal Support Staff

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements, retroactive in application, for the personal identifying and location information of current state attorney and Office of Statewide Prosecution nonlegal support staff and the spouses and children of such nonlegal support staff.

 

HB 1073 – School Districts

The bill primarily seeks to provide members of district school boards with specified rights and authority.  Portions of the bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida’s anti-nepotism law contained within s. 112.3135, F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics to remove an exemption for school boards and expressly make the anti-nepotism protections of the Code of Ethics applicable to “district school board” members. 

  • Related Bill: SB 1620 – Public Education

 

HB 1113 – Pub. Rec./Crime Victims

The bill seeks to expand an existing public records exemption for crime victims to include the name and personal identification number of crime victims and any other information or record that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse victim or victim’s family. The bill provides that such exemption includes records generated by any agency that regularly generates information from or concerning victims of crime and provides that certain records identifying law enforcement officers who are involved in use of force incident are confidential and exempt for a specified timeframe.

  • Related Bill: SB 350-Public Records/Crime Victims
 

HB 1179 – Pub. Rec. and Meetings/Space Florida

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements to prevent the revelation of “trade secrets” held by “Space Florida, any spaceport user, or any space industry business.”

  • Related Bill: HB 1177-Space Florida
 

 HB 1283 – Complaints Against Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

The bill which relates to the manner in which complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers on the local level (including ethics complaints filed with city or county boards) may be investigated—seeks to amend portions of the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, s. 112.532, F.S., to require that the names of all complainants and must be provided with a copy of the complaint, signed by the complainant unless the “complaint is accompanied by corroborating evidence.”

 

The bill further provides that any complaint investigation “which does not result in any disciplinary action to the officer may not affect the ability of such officer to receive a promotion, raise, or other commendation.” The bill further seeks to require that any complaint filed against law enforcement officers must “be in writing and be signed under oath” and “accompanied with corroborating evidence.”

The bill solely seeks to impact complaints filed on the political subdivision level and does not attempt to amend or abrogate the State Commission on Ethics’ jurisdictional authority to conduct independent investigations of ethics complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers.

  • Related Bill: SB 1544-Complaints Against Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers
 

HB 1369 – Penalties For Late-filed Disclosures or Statements of Financial Interests

The bill seeks to amend the financial disclosure provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3144 and 112.3145, F.S., to create a one-time waiver of the assessment of automatic fines associated with late filing a financial disclosure report “the first time” it is late filed.

  • Related Bill: SB 1622 – Penalties for Late-filed Disclosures or Statements of Financial Interests
 

HB 1373 – Pub. Rec./Judicial Qualifications Commission Employees

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of current and former employees of Judicial Qualifications Commission (the Florida agency that regulates judges) and the personal identifying and location information of spouses and children of such employees.

  • Related Bill: SB 144-Public Records/Judicial Qualifications Commission
 

HB 6011 – Reporting the Receipt of Gifts or Honoraria

The bill seeks to amend the gifts and honoraria provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3148 and 112.3149, F.S., to remove the requirement to file annual gift and honorarium disclosure statements (in particular, the Form 10) alongside financial disclosure filings by requiring that both current and former reporting individuals or procurement employees submit gifts and honoraria reports to the Florida Commission on Ethics and aligns all reporting deadlines and locations under the Commission on Ethics for greater consistency.

  • Related Bill: SB 964 – Financial Disclosures
 

HB 7003 – OGSR/Conviction Integrity Unit Reinvestigation Information

Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public records requirements for certain conviction integrity unit reinvestigation information.

  • Related Bill: SB 7004 – OGSR/Conviction Integrity Unit Reinvestigation Information

Florida Senate

CS/SB 92—Employee Protections

The bill seeks to create whistle-blower-like protections for governmental employees by prohibiting government agencies and independent contractors from taking adverse retaliatory personnel actions against employees who file ethics complaints with the Florida Commission on Ethics or participate in the investigation of a complaint or referral.

  • Related Bill: HB 139 — Adverse Personnel Actions and Ethics Complaints
 

SB 144—Public Records/Judicial Qualifications Commission

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former employees of the Judicial Qualifications Commission (the agency that regulates judges in Florida) and the personal identifying and location information of the spouses and children of such employees.

 

SB 248 – Public Records/Municipal Clerks and their Staff

The bill seeks to create a public records exemption for the personal identifying and location information of current and former municipal clerks, their staff, and the spouse and children of such personnel.  

  • Related Bill: HB 247 – Pub. Rec./Municipal Clerks
 

SB 258 – Public Records/Medical Examiners

The bill seeks to create an exemption, retroactive in application, from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former medical examiners and their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 21-Pub. Rec./Medical Examiners
 

SB 268 – Public Records/Emergency Physicians

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current or former emergency physicians and their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 251 – Pub. Rec./Emergency Physicians
 

SB 292 – Public Records/Appellate Court Clerks

The bill seeks to define the term “appellate court clerk” and create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current appellate court clerks and their spouse and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 179 – Pub. Rec./Current Appellate Court Clerks
 

SB 332—Public Meetings

The bill seeks to create an exemption to Florida’s open public meetings law to permit “any board or commission of any state agency or authority or any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity” to meet in private “with the entity’s attorney” within a certain time frame. And provides that specified entities may meet in private with their attorneys to discuss certain claims concerning private property rights but requires that such meetings must be transcribed and that such transcripts will become public records at specified times.

  • Related Bill: HB 655-Pub. Meetings/Attorney Meetings to Discuss Private Property Rights Claims
 

SB 350 – Public Records/Crime Victims

The bill seeks to expand a public records exemption for crime victims to include the name and personal identification number of a victim and any other information or record that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse the victim or the victim’s family.

 

SB 370 – Public Records/Commissioners of the Florida Commission on Human Relations

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current or former personnel and commissioners of the Florida Commission on Human Relations and their spouse and children.

 

SB 376 – Public Records/Sexual Assault Counselors

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of sexual assault counselors.

 

CS/SB 410 – Public Records/Private Investigators

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former private investigators licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and their spouse and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 661-Pub. Rec./Private Investigators
 

SB 466 – Public Records/Legal Assistants/Office of the Public Defender/Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of current legal assistants employed by the office of the public defender and the office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel and the personal identifying and location information of their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 181-Pub. Rec./Legal Assistants
 

SB 504—Code Inspector Body Cameras

Requiring a governmental entity that permits its code inspectors to wear body cameras to establish certain policies and procedures; requiring such governmental entity to ensure that certain training occurs, to retain certain data in accordance with public records laws, and to perform a periodic review of actual body camera practices; providing that certain provisions relating to the interception of wire, electronic, and oral communications do not apply to body camera recordings made by code inspectors.

  • Related Bills:
    • SB 506-Public Records/Body Camera Recordings Recorded by a Code Inspector
    • HB 509-Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • HB 511 -Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • HB 539 -Code Inspector Body Cameras
 

SB 506 – Public Records/Body Camera Recordings Recorded by a Code Inspector

Providing an exemption from public records requirements for body camera recordings recorded by a code inspector when it is taken within the interior of a private residence, within the interior of a health care or social services facility or when it is taken in a place that a reasonable person would expect to be private.

  • Related Bills:
    • SB 504-Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • HB 511-Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Cameras
    • HB 541-Pub. Rec./Code Inspector Body Camera Recordings
    • HB 509 -Code Inspector Body Cameras
 

SB 572 – Ethics for Public Employees

The bill seeks to revise the Florida Code of Ethics’ definition of the term “relative” to include foster parents and foster children—a change which has been sought by the Florida Commission on Ethics in its Legislative Proposals for 2025 and 2026.

  • Related Bill: HB 603 – Ethics for Public Employees
 

SB 802 – Public Officers and Employees

The bill seeks to require that, beginning on October 1, 2026, secretaries and executive directors of departments, chief administrative officers of certain units of state government, members of commissions and licensing boards, chairs of governing boards or certain chief executives of certain statewide entities, or any persons appointed to hold state office in the executive branch of state government be United States citizens and residents of this state and further providing that such an office is automatically deemed vacant if the person holding that office does not meet these requirements.

 

Portions of the bill germane to ethics seeks to amend the Florida Code of Ethics to create s. 112.31251, F.S., defining the term “office” for the purposes of the dual office-holding prohibition of the Florida Constitution. And amends s. 112.3261, F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics to prohibit lobbyists and businesses that employ them from giving, and certain water management officials from accepting, prohibited expenditures given for the purpose of lobbying.

  • Related Bills:
    • HB 593-Governmental Agencies and Personnel
    • HB 701 -Water Management Districts
 

SB 830 – Public Records/County Administrators and City Managers

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current county administrators, deputy county administrators, assistant county administrators, city managers, deputy city managers, and assistant city managers, including the names and personal identifying and location information of their spouse and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 263—Public Records
 

SB 884 – Public Records/Owners and Operators of Family Foster Homes

The bill seeks to provide an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former owners and operators of family foster homes and the names and personal identifying and location information of their spouses and children.

  • Related Bill: HB 287-Pub. Rec./Owners and Operators of Family Foster Homes
 

SB 964 – Financial Disclosures

The bill seeks to amend the gifts and honoraria provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3148 and 112.3149, F.S., to remove the requirement to file annual gift and honorarium disclosure statements alongside financial disclosure filings by requiring that both current and former reporting individuals or procurement employees submit gifts and honoraria reports to the Florida Commission on Ethics and aligns all reporting deadlines and locations under the Commission on Ethics for greater consistency.

  • Related Bill: HB 6011—Reporting the Receipt of Gifts or Honoraria

SB 1084-Public Records

The bill seeks to define the term “state attorney’s office or Office of Statewide Prosecution nonlegal support staff” and create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current state attorney’s office and Office of Statewide Prosecution nonlegal support staff and the spouses and children of such staff.


SB 1298 – Public Records/Public Employees Relations Commission

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the chair, commissioners, and hearing officers of the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC). The bill also seeks to revise an existing exemption from public records requirements for draft orders and related written communications or the issuance of any order by PERC or its designees and seeks to create a new public records exemption for a showing of interest signed by the employees or group of employees who no longer desire to be represented by a certified bargaining agent.

  • Related Bill: SB 1296-Public Employees Relations Commission
 

SB 1120 – Water Management Districts

Portions of the bill germane to ethics seeks to amend a Florida Code of Ethics provision relating to water management districts, s. 112.3261, F.S., to require the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate a lobbyist or a business that employs lobbyists (ie “principal”), that has made a prohibited expenditure and to provide the Governor with a report of its findings and recommendations regarding such an investigation.


The bill also requires the South Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to provide a detailed report that includes the total estimated remaining cost of implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and the status of applicable performance indicators for all project components; authorizing water management districts to levy certain ad valorem taxes on specified property for certain purposes; and requires that the preliminary budget for each water management district include a section that contains the district’s capital improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year.


SB 1178 – Foreign Influence

The bill primarily seeks to require agents of foreign countries of concern and foreign-supported political organizations to register with the Division of Elections and require periodic updates by such agents and organizations.


Portions of the bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.313, F.S., to add the definitions of “Designated foreign terrorist organization” and “Foreign country of concern” and to amend the anti-bribery restrictions of s. 112.313(2), F.S., to prohibit public officials from soliciting or accepting a “gift from a designated foreign terrorist organization” or anyone acting on their behalf including “travel costs or any reimbursements for costs of attending a conference or other event, from a foreign country of concern” or anyone acting on their behalf.


The ethics portions of the bill also seek to amend the annual ethics training requirements contained in s. 112.3142, F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics to require that certain public officials receive training on “known efforts by foreign countries of concern to target and influence subnational governments” including “the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front strategy,” “how to identify, recognize, and report suspected foreign influence campaigns,” and “prohibitions on receiving gifts from foreign countries of concern or designated foreign terrorist organizations.”

  • Related Bill: HB 905-Foreign Influence

SB 1544 – Complaints Against Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

The bill which relates to the manner in which complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers on the local level (including ethics complaints filed with city or county boards) may be investigated—seeks to amend portions of the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, s. 112.532, F.S., to require that the names of all complainants and must be provided with a copy of the complaint, signed by the complainant unless the “complaint is accompanied by corroborating evidence,” in which case the “complainant names and a signature are not required.”


The bill further provides that any complaint investigation “which does not result in any disciplinary action to the officer may not affect the ability of such officer to receive a promotion, raise, or other commendation.” The bill further seeks to require that any complaint filed against law enforcement officers must “be in writing and be signed under oath” and “accompanied with corroborating evidence.”

The bill solely seeks to impact complaints filed on the political subdivision level and does not attempt to amend or abrogate the State Commission on Ethics’ jurisdictional authority to conduct independent investigations of ethics complaints filed against law enforcement and correctional officers.

  • Related Bill: HB 1283 Complaints Against Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

SB 1546 – Public Records/Commission on Ethics

The bill seeks to create an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former employees and commissioners of the Florida Commission on Ethics and their spouses and dependents.


SB 1620 – Public Education

Portions of this bill germane to ethics seek to amend Florida’s anti-nepotism law contained within s. 112.3135, F.S., of the Florida Code of Ethics to define the term “agency” to include district school boards for purposes of provisions restricting the employment of relatives of public officials.

  • Related Bill: HB 1073-School Districts

SB 1622 – Penalties for Late-filed Disclosures or Statements of Financial Interests

The bill seeks to amend the financial disclosure provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3144 and 112.3145, F.S., to create a one-time waiver of the assessment of automatic fines associated with late filing a financial disclosure report “the first time” it is late filed.

  • Related Bill: HB 1369-Penalties for Late-filed Disclosures or Statements of Financial Interests

SB 1650 – Public Records/Commission on Ethics

The bill seeks to adopt Florida Code of Ethics, s. 112.3243(5), F.S., creating an exemption from public records requirements for information received by the Commission on Ethics or derived from its investigations, involving allegations of retaliatory or otherwise adverse actions taken against government employees in response to filing an ethics complaint.

  • Related Bill: S/SB 92-Employee Protections

SB 7004 – OGSR/Conviction Integrity Unit Reinvestigation Information

The bill seeks to amend a provision which provides an exemption from public records requirements for certain conviction integrity unit reinvestigation information.

  • Related Bill: HB 7003 – OGSR/Conviction Integrity Unit Reinvestigation Information

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— Dec 2025 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—December 2025  Meeting

 

December 23, 2025

Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s governmental ethics laws, took action via Zoom on two ethics advisory opinions involving the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (Florida Code of Ethics) and the “Sunshine Amendment” to the State constitution (Art. II, s. 8, Fla. Const.). 

Public Session

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising House Member that the Constitutional In-Office Representation Ban Would Not Prohibit Him from Representing a Client Before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners

 

The Commission adopted a formal ethics opinion advising a current member of the Florida House of Representatives, Tom Fabricio, who is a licensed attorney in his private capacity, that the constitutional in-office representation ban would not prohibit him from representing a client before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners (FBBE)—the agency which evaluates candidates for admission to the Florida Bar and conducts investigations and hearings concerning character and fitness determinations of Florida Bar applicants.

 

The in-office representation ban found in Art. II, s. 8(e), Fla. Const., provides in part that “[n]o member of the legislature shall personally represent another person or entity for compensation during term of office before any state agency other than judicial tribunals.” After determining that the FBBE was an “agency” and not a “judicial tribunal” the Commission went on to apply an equitable exemption found in s. 112.316, F.S., to negate the mechanical application of the facially applicable constitutional restriction reasoning that applying the restriction would not serve the public trust in government and would serve to “needlessly prevent an employment opportunity.”

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising Polk County School Board Member that the Constitutional In-Office Lobbying Ban Would Prohibit her from Engaging in Lobbying Activities on Behalf of Private Employer During Term  

 

The Commission also adopted a formal ethics opinion advising newly appointed member of the Polk County School Board, Annie “Kate” Wallace, that the constitutional in-office lobbying ban would prohibit her continued performance of lobbying duties for her private employer, Charter Communications, during her term of office. Wallace is privately employed as the Director of State Government Affairs with Charter Communications. She explained that her private responsibilities to Charter include advocacy before city and county governments.

 

In 2018, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment found in Art. II, s. 8(f)(2), Fla. Const., which prohibits public officials from lobbying “any political subdivision of this state, during his or her term of office.” After being appointed by the Governor to the School Board in November Wallace sought an ethics opinion from the Commission concerning whether the ban would apply to her.

 

At the Dec 18th meeting the Commission applied the enabling legislation and found that Wallace was engaging in lobbying activities, for compensation in her position wherein she was “principally employed for governmental affairs” and, as such, found that the constitutional ban would prohibit her from engaging in lobbying activities during her term of office.

 

However, the Commission further advised that if she was able to change her job duties at Charter to shift her lobbying responsibilities to “another employee while you are a member of the Polk County School Board, then you will be in compliance with the requirement.” The Commission alternatively advised that the in-office lobbying ban would not prohibit her from accepting a new role with her employer which did not involve lobbying local governments.

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Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— Nov 2025 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—November 2025  Meeting

 

November 20, 2025

NOV FCOE Meeting
Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Friday, November 14, 2025, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s governmental ethics laws, took action via Zoom on a myriad of matters involving the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (Florida Code of Ethics) and the “Sunshine Amendment” to the State constitution (Art. II, s. 8, Fla. Const.). 

Public Session
Ethics Complaint Settlement

 

The Commission considered and approved the settlement (referred to as “Joint Stipulation”) of an ethics complaint brought against a member of the Board of Fire Commissioners for Cedar Hammock Fire Control District, John Stevens, and the Commission’s attorney (referred to as “Advocate”) wherein he was found to have misused the official resources of his office while campaigning for re-election when he used the District’s email lists to send out an e-Blast campaign email thanking supporters. In light of this violation, the Commission will recommend that a civil penalty of $1,000 be imposed by the Governor.

 

Dismissal of Certain Allegations of Ethics Complaint Against Former Mayor of Boca Raton Due to Lack of Personal Knowledge by Complainant

The Commission considered a draft recommendation to dismiss certain allegations of a complaint filed against former Boca Raton Mayor, Susan Haynie, which had been investigated and probable cause had been found indicating that while Mayor Haynie had violated Florida’s financial disclosure law, voting conflicts law, conflicting employment or contractual relationship provision, and misused her official position. While the matter was pending an administrative trial at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) a new law went into effect in 2024 which requires that all ethics complaints must be based on “personal knowledge or information other than hearsay.”

 

At Friday’s meeting the Commission retroactively applied the new complaint standard to the allegations and determined that only the possible violations of the financial disclosure law (involving filing inaccurate disclosures in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016) met the heightened compliant requirement. As such, the Commission voted to dismiss all other allegations in the complaint as they were not based on personal knowledge or information other than hearsay as the Complainant learned of the alleged unethical conduct of the Mayor solely through news articles. However, the financial disclosure allegations in the complaint will move forward with a public trail or settlement.

Dismissal of Ethics Complaint Involving Former Member of the Polk County School Board

At the meeting the Commission also approved the dismissal of an ethics complaint filed against former member of the Polk County School Board, Lori Cunningham. The complaint alleged that she had a prohibited conflicting contractual relationship when a company that she owned sold mandatory school uniforms to two charter schools within the District. Although the Commission at its January 2024 meeting had found probable cause indicating that a prohibited conflict of interest existed concerning these business dealings—further information obtained by the Commission’s attorney in preparation for the administrative trail at DOAH indicated that Cunningham “was not in a position to favor her private interests over her public responsibilities to the School District” as the School Board had only limited regulatory authority over the charter schools and parents at issue.

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising a Former State Attorney Concerning Application of Post Employment Restrictions  

 

The Commission adopted a formal opinion advising a former State Attorney, Dave Aronberg, now practicing law in his newly established private law firm, that he would not be prohibited by Florida’s post-public-employment or ‘revolving door’ laws from representing criminal defendants in cases prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office where he previously served, as long as the cases were initiated after he left office.

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Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— Sep 2025 Meeting

FEI Ethics Update: Florida Ethics Determinations—Sept Meeting  

September 21, 2025

Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Friday, September 12, 2025, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s governmental ethics laws, took action on a myriad of matters involving the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (Florida Code of Ethics) and the “Sunshine Amendment” to the State constitution (Art. II, s. 8, Fla. Const.). 

Public Session
Commission Selects New Chair and Vice Chair
 

At the meeting the Commission elected Jon M. Philipson as Chair for the 2025-2026 term beginning September 12, 2025. Commissioner Philipson was appointed by Governor DeSantis in 2025. He is a Tampa-based Gunster shareholder specializing in business litigation, arbitration, and antitrust law. A top graduate and Rhodes Scholar finalist, he clerked for a federal judge and has a background in public service, while actively mentoring future legal professionals.

 

Dr. James Bush, III, was elected Vice Chair. Commissioner Bush was appointed by Speaker Perez in 2024. Dr. Bush is a former Florida State Representative and longtime community leader with over 40 years of service in education and ministry. As founder of James Bush III Ministries and the Just Pray Movement, he continues to champion faith, family, and civic engagement throughout the Miami-Dade community.

 

Jon M. Philipson
Dr. James Bush, III
Ethics Complaint Settlement

 

The Commission considered and approved the settlement (referred to as “Joint Stipulation”) of an ethics complaint brought against City of Fort Pierce Senior Planner, Vennis Gilmore, wherein he acknowledged that he had violated the conflicts of interest restrictions of the Florida Code of Ethics prohibiting conflicting employment and contractual relationships by public officials. The settlement finds that Gilmore had a prohibited conflict of interest when a nonprofit company wherein he is member and serves as President, Rooted in Change, Inc. D/B/A Lincoln Park Young Professionals, responded to a City-issued Request for Proposals (RFP) and thereafter leased land from the City. During the meeting, the Commission’s Attorney (referred to as “Advocate”) noted that because of the conflict of interest the City had already demoted Gilmore and reduced his salary.

 

In light of the ethics violation the Commission recommended that the Governor impose a civil penalty of $1,000 and publicly censure and reprimand him.

 

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising a Flagler District School Board Member that Conflicts Would Arise if her Private Business Sells Educational Services to Flagler Students

 

In a highly contested and heavily deliberated ethics advisory opinion, wherein two differing draft opinions were requested and considered—the Commission voted to approve version 1A of the analysis which advised a Flagler County School Board member that a prohibited conflict of interest would arise if a private business that she owns were to advertise or sell educational services to students in her School District. The ethics advice approved after more than an hour of discussion follows recommendations given in more than a decade of Commission ethics opinions.

 

The analysis approved at Friday’s meeting reasoned that the School Board member’s selling of services directly to District students would create a prohibited conflict of interest under Florida’s ethics laws, even if sales are limited, because it risks compromising the member’s impartiality. However, the opinion further provides that volunteering to educate students on topics related to her business is allowed if done without promoting the business through logos or materials. But marketing the business to students on school property or in digital platforms by the School Board member would be prohibited by law. Similarly, hiring District employees for the member’s private business would also create a prohibited conflict of interest. Finally, the member was advised that her business sponsoring a school team in exchange for logo placement on shirts would create a prohibited business relationship; however, a donation would not be prohibited by the Florida Code of Ethics.

Adoption of Ethics Opinion Advising Newly Appointed Member of Broward School Board Concerning Possible Conflicts of Interest

 

The Commission also considered and approved an ethics advisory opinion advising a newly appointed member of the School Board of Broward County—who is also an attorney shareholder in a law firm possessing contracts with the School Board which pre-dated his appointment to the board—that such contracts would not give rise to prohibited conflicts of interest for him personally due to the application of a “grandfathering” exemption. But the Commission further cautioned the member that new contracts executed subsequent to his appointment would not receive the benefit of the “grandfathering” exemption and, thus, would give rise to prohibited conflicts of interest. Advice was also provided concerning ethical limitations on his ability to participate and vote on matters involving his private employer.

Ethics Legislative Proposals for 2026

 

Each year the Commission on Ethics submits proposals to the legislature which it believes will strengthen the Florida Code of Ethics. At the meeting the Commission considered the draft Legislative Recommendations for the 2026 Session which is scheduled to convene January 13, 2026. At the meeting the Commission provided guidance to Commission staff concerning considerations pertaining the 2026 proposals which are ongoing.

 

Of note was the discussion of draft language seeking clarification of a newly enacted requirement that all ethics complaints must be based upon “personal knowledge or information other than hearsay” in order to be investigated. Although Chair Phillipson stated that the Legislature’s intent to heighten the investigatory requirements in 2024 was clear and that more time was needed to “allow this to play out before making any further changes to the standard,” other Commission members expressed concern regarding the new requirements.

 

Commissioner Steward stated that she thought that this “has been a troublesome declaration that was done in a very hurried fashion on the last day of Session and without discussion.” She explained that the new ethics investigatory standards were the result of a last-minute amendment to a bill passed “without any discussion it was pushed through and was then given to the ethics board to try to determine what hearsay was and what it wasn’t.” Commissioner Steward stated that the new standard “has caused quite a bit of problems” noting that “it has been almost a year since it was added.” She urged approaching members of the legislature now, including Senator Don Gaetz, to address the issue because “we have found and have determined that there are many, many instances where we have had to throw out [ethics] cases because of hearsay that were never thrown out before.”

 

The Commission’s Executive Director, Kerrie Stillman, advised that upon research they were able to identify “a handful” of cases where some or all of the allegations in the complaint had to be dismissed due to the new hearsay requirements.

 

Governor Declines to Impose Ethics Penalties on Several Public Officials that Have Been Found to Have Violated Florida’s Ethics Laws

The Executive Director’s Report submitted as part of the meeting materials included copies of more than a dozen Executive Orders issued by the Governor’s office enforcing ethics penalties imposed upon public officials found to have violated the ethics laws. However, in five cases the Governor either chose to drastically reduce the recommended penalty or to not enforce it at all against the public official.  

 

The matters included ethics violations involving the following public officials:

 

  • In the matter of In re Stephanie Busin, Executive Order 2025E-19 was issued wherein the $3,000 fine and public censure and reprimand recommended by the Commission—was reduced to “no penalty” in the Executive Order absent any explanation for the reduction.

     

    The recommended penalties were the result of a settlement wherein the Hendry County School Board member was found to have violated the constitutional prohibition against abusing one’s office to obtain a disproportionate benefit by “violating School District policies when speaking to students about elections in her official capacity and distributing her campaign materials to them” and that she misused her official position by using “her position and/or public property or public resources to secure a special private” benefit for herself.

 
  • In In re Carlos Beruff, Executive Order 2025E-03 was issued wherein the $1,500 fine and public censure and reprimand recommended by Commission—was reduced to a $500 fine imposed by Governor absent public censure and reprimand.

    The penalties recommended by the Commission were the result of a fully adjudicated matter wherein Beruff, while serving as Chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s board, was found to have failed to accurately disclose assets on three different year’s financial disclosure filings.

  • In In re R.C. “Rick” Lussy, Executive Order 2025-04 was issued wherein the $5,000 fine and public censure and reprimand recommended by Commission—was reduced to a $3,000 fine imposed by Governor and absent public censure and reprimand.

    The penalties recommended by the Commission were initially set by an Administrative Law Judge for Lussy’s having failed to accurately disclose liabilities in his 2019 financial disclosure filed as a candidate for Property Appraiser in Collier County.

  • In In re Melody Jurado, Executive Order 2025E-05 was issued wherein the $10,000 fine and public censure and reprimand recommended by Commission—was reduced to “no penalty” imposed by Governor.

    The penalties recommended by the Commission against the former Temple Terrace Mayor involved her misuse of her public position and resources when she misrepresented her academic credentials on the City’s web pages.

  • In In re Eddie Martinez, Executive Order 2025-07 was issued wherein the $5,000 fine and public censure and reprimand recommended by Commission—was reduced to a $3,000 fine imposed by Governor and absent public censure and reprimand.

    The penalties recommended by the Commission against the former member of the Monroe County Commission were initially set by an Administrative Law Judge finding that Martinez violated the financial disclosure provisions of the Florida Code of Ethics requiring the full and public disclosure of financial interests by constitutional officers, and violated Art. II, s. 8, of the Florida Constitution, by filing an inaccurate financial disclosure in 2020.

Executive Session

During its closed session meeting (wherein confidential and exempt matters are addressed) the Commission took action on forty-six (46) matters. In a Press Release issued September 17, 2025, the Commission made the following findings.

 

Ethics Complaints Considered for Probable Cause

During the Executive Session meeting, five (5) ethics complaints were considered for probable cause. Commission determinations regarding probable cause are based upon the ethics complaint, the Report of Investigation, the Advocate’s Recommendation, as well as written statements submitted by the respondent (against whom the complaint is filed) and any oral statements made at the meeting. A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against former Director of Building Development for the City of Tarpon Springs, Kevin Powell. No probable cause was found to believe that Mr. Powell abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when he performed work in his private capacity for a company he owned while simultaneously working for the City. An allegation that Mr. Powell had a contractual relationship with a business entity that was subject to the regulation of or doing business with his agency was also dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

The Commission considered a complaint against Columbia County Sheriff Captain, Todd Lussier. No probable cause was found to believe Mr. Lussier solicited or accepted anything of value based on an understanding that it would influence his official actions. Further, no probable cause was found on allegations Mr. Lussier abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position to influence the outcome of a friend’s traffic stop.

 

The Commission found no probable cause to believe that a member of the Concorde Estates Community Development District (CDD) Board of Supervisors, Victor Cruz, violated the constitutional amendment prohibiting abuse of office for a disproportionate benefit or misused his position when CDD records reflected $0 non-ad valorem tax for himself and his neighbor. An allegation Mr. Cruz had a conflicting contractual relationship when the CDD Attorney represented him in his divorce proceeding was dismissed with a finding of no probable cause.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that former Palatka Interim City Manager, Jonathan Griffith, had an employment or contractual relationship with a business entity that was subject to the regulation of the City of Palatka when a company he has an ownership interest in purchased property in the City, and submitted a rezoning application to the City’s planning department.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that Fort White Mayor, George Jacob Thomas, misused his position by failing to utilize the rating procedures used by the City Councilmembers for the selection of a candidate to fill a vacancy on the Town Council.

 

Ethics Complaints Dismissed for Lacking Legal Sufficiency

The Commission also reviewed and dismissed forty-one (41) ethics complaints for lacking legal sufficiency. These reviews are limited to questions of jurisdiction and determinations as to whether the contents of the complaint are adequate to allege a violation of the Code of Ethics or other laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In any matter where a complaint is found legally insufficient and dismissed, the Commission will issue an order explaining the rationale for the dismissal which is a public record accessible to the public upon request.

 

At its meeting the Commission dismissed complaints filed against the following public servants due to a lack of legal sufficiency: MARK MATHES, Fellsmere Water Control District Manager; MARCOS R. LOPEZ, Osceola County Sheriff; JAVIER CISNEROS, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Director; BADIA STRACHAN, Concorde Estates Community Development District Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair; ALONZETTA SIMPKINS, Gadsden County Commissioner; LAUREN JOHNSON, Palm Coast Acting City Manager; MARY ANN DELGADO, Venetian Isles Community Development District Vice Chair; TAMMIE TALLEY, Duval County Public Schools Director of Athletics; MARY LOU HOOVER, Key West City Commissioner; KEN BURKE, Sixth Judicial Circuit Clerk of Court and Comptroller; WILLIAM BARRS, Treasure Island Fire Chief and Acting City Manager; TRACEY MILLER, Martin County Schools Deputy Superintendent; DARRIN MOSSING, Village of Westport Community Development District Manager; TAMMY VASQUEZ, Treasure Island Vice Mayor; ANGELA OWENS, Kennedy Middle School Principal; BARBARA LANGDON, North Port City Commissioner; CHARLES W. BURKETT, Surfside Mayor; ART GONZALEZ, Biscayne Park Village Commissioner; BRYAN HUNTINGTON, Village of Biscayne Park, Vice Mayor; VERONICA AMSLER, Village of Biscayne Park Commissioner; JONATHAN E. GROTH, Village of Biscayne Park Mayor; JORGE E. ROSERO, Village of Biscayne Park Interim Police Chief; JOHN W. MINA, Orange County Sheriff; YASHEKIA SCARLETT, Village of Westport Community Development District Chair; VICTOR D. CRIST, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Clerk of Court; MARIA PIERCE, Town of Sewall’s Point Human Resources and Finance Director; SEAN FLANAGAN, Coconut Creek Deputy Building Inspector; MICHAEL SCOTT, RICK WILSON, and BILL BRASWELL, Polk County Commissioners; ROBERT K. MCCANN, Manatee County Commissioner; STACEY M. BUTTERFIELD, Polk County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller; ANNE HUFFMAN, Haines City Commissioner; HORACE L. JONES, Escambia County Development Services Director; DANA PAIGE, Volusia County Director of Human Relations; AARON VAN KLEECK, Volusia County Director of Emergency Services; ALEX ANDRADE, Former Milton City Attorney and current State Representative; CHRISTI HOLLINS, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue Firefighter; DORI HOWINGTON, Deltona City Commissioner; KEVIN RUANE, Lee County Commission Vice Chair; and BEVERLY NASH, City of Quincy Mayor.

 

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Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— July 2025 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Ethics Commission Determinations—July 2025 Meeting

Aug 3, 2025

Florida Commission on Ethics July 25 2025
Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Friday, July 25, 2025, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s ethics laws, took action on a myriad of matters involving governmental officials. 

Public Session
Agency Welcomes New Members

The Commission began its meeting by welcoming two new members to the board—Jon M. Philipson and Jeremy M. Rodgers.

Rodgers was appointed to serve on the Commission by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 30, 2025. Rodgers is a Field Chief Technology Officer for Armis. He previously served as the Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Florida and was elected as a City Councilman for the City of Boca Raton.

 

Philipson was appointed to serve on the Commission by Governor Ron DeSantis on July 11, 2025. Philipson is an attorney and Shareholder at Gunster. Active in his community, he currently serves as a member of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida’s Grievance Committee, the Tampa Jewish Community Centers and Federation Board, and the University of Florida Law Alumni Council.

Jon M. Philipson
Jeremy M. Rodgers
Jeremy M. Rodgers
Rejection of Draft Ethics Opinion to Pave the Way for Private Business Owned by Flagler District School Board Member to Sell Educational Services to Flagler Students

 

The Commission rejected a draft formal ethics opinion No. 2817 which followed years of Commission precedent finding that businesses owned by District School Board members could not sell or market educational services to schools or students within their own District as such activity would create a prohibited conflict of interest.

 

Rather, at the July 25 meeting the Commission voted to reject the draft ethics opinion in favor of seeing an alternative analysis at a subsequent meeting finding that no prohibited conflict of interest would be created if a business owned by a District School Board member were to sell services to students within the District.

Approval of Ethics Opinion to Cooper City Commission Member Requiring the Disclosure of Tickets as a Gift
 

The Commission voted to adopt and approve draft formal opinion No. 2822 finding that a member of the Cooper City Commission must file a gift disclosure (Form 9) if he personally received event tickets worth over $100, when the tickets are obtained using City discretionary funds.

 

However, the opinion further found that gifts provided to the City Commissioner as a result of his role on the board of directors of the Broward League of Cities, a private nonprofit corporation, are not considered reportable gifts due to the application of an exception to the definition of “gift” that exempts gifts “associated primarily” with an official’s service as an “officer or director of a corporation or organization.” 

Ethics Legislative Proposals for 2026 Session 
 

Each year the Commission on Ethics submits proposals to the legislature which it believes will strengthen the Florida Code of Ethics. At the meeting the Commission considered the draft Legislative Recommendations for the 2026 Session and provided guidance to Commission staff concerning additional considerations and deliberations concerning the 2026 proposals which are ongoing.

Executive Session

During its closed session meeting (wherein confidential and exempt matters are addressed) the Commission took action on thirty-five (35) matters. In a Press Release issued July 30, 2025, the Commission made the following findings.


Ethics Complaints Considered for Probable Cause

During the Executive Session meeting, eleven (11) ethics complaints were considered for probable cause. Commission determinations regarding probable cause are based upon the ethics complaint, the Report of Investigation, the Advocate’s Recommendation, as well as written statements submitted by the respondent (against whom the complaint is filed) and any oral statements made at the meeting. A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against St. Pete Beach City Manager, Alex Rey, and found no probable cause to believe that he misused his position by making payments to a vendor that exceeded his expenditure authority, awarded contracts without the required Commission approval, and failed to provide oversight of P-card transactions. 

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Lake Worth Beach City Commissioner, Reinaldo Diaz, and found probable cause to believe he failed to timely file his 2023 Form 1, Statement of Financial Interests. An allegation that he failed to timely file his 2022 Form 1, Statement of Financial Interests, also resulted in a finding of probable cause, however, the Commission decided to take no further action on the late-filed 2022 Form 1 due to the particular circumstances of the matter.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Executive Director for the Jupiter Inlet District, Joseph Chaison and found no probable cause to believe that he abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position by failing to report or document paid time off, increasing benefits without approval, and lying about staff salary increases.

 

No probable cause was found on an allegation that the City Manager of Deltona, Dale “Doc” Dougherty, abused his position to obtain a disproportionate benefit or misused his position by sexually harassing an employee and retaliating against the employee after the alleged incidents were reported to human resources.

 

In a matter involving Cooper City Commissioner, Ryan Shrouder, no probable cause was found on allegations that he misused his position when he conditioned his support for a nonprofit’s request for a change in a City policy affecting the organization, on the resignation of the nonprofit’s president, whom Mr. Shrouder believed was stealing funds from the organization.

 

Probable cause was found to believe that Gadsden County Commissioner, Ronterrious Green, had a conflicting contractual relationship that created a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between his private interests and the performance of his public duties, when he approved multiple contracts for his landlord.

 

The Commission considered a complaint filed against Key West City Commissioner, Monica Haskell, and found no probable cause to believe Ms. Haskell had a voting conflict when she voted on a measure affecting dock usage that could impact her son’s business.

 

No probable cause was found on allegations that Fellsmere Water Control District Board of Supervisors, Richard Carnell, was doing business with the District, had employment or a contractual relationship with an entity doing business with the District, or had a voting conflict regarding the hiring of a company in which Mr. Carnell was an officer.

 

No probable cause also was found on similar allegations in a complaint filed against the Fellsmere Water Control District Board of Supervisors Member, Greg Nelson, regarding a business in which he had an ownership interest.

 

In a complaint filed against Key West City Commissioner, Samuel Kaufman, the Commission found no probable cause to believe Mr. Kaufman had a prohibited business relationship or a conflicting contractual relationship that created a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between his private interests and the performance of his public duties, or had a voting conflict when the City Commission allocated funds to 18 nonprofit service providers, including the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition where Mr. Kaufman serves as a board member.

 

A self-initiated investigation – required by statute – to determine if Ben Gainer, who formerly served on the Board of Supervisors for the Cypress Mill Community Development District, willfully failed to file his 2020 Form 1, resulted in a finding of probable cause. However, the Commission elected to take no further action on the allegation due to the particular circumstances of the matter.

 

 
Ethics Complaints Dismissed for Lacking Legal Sufficiency

The Commission also reviewed and dismissed twenty-four (24) ethics complaints for lacking legal sufficiency. These reviews are limited to questions of jurisdiction and determinations as to whether the contents of the complaint are adequate to allege a violation of the Code of Ethics or other laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In any matter where a complaint is found legally insufficient and dismissed, the Commission will issue an order explaining the rationale for the dismissal which is a public record accessible to the public upon request.

 

At its meeting the Commission dismissed complaints filed against the following public servants due to a lack of legal sufficiency: AL TAYLOR, Titusville Board of Adjustment/Appeals Chairman; WAYNE ANDERSON, Village Community Development District 8 Supervisor; DON KING, Kenneth City Town Manager; MEGAN ZEMAITIS, Kenneth City Mayor; LINDA HUDSON, Fort Pierce Mayor; RACHEL TENNANT, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Director; VIRGINIA GIANAKOS, Lake St. Charles CDD Supervisor; HALINA DEV, Florida Commission on Human Relations Investigator; STEVE BELDEN, Fort Myers Director of Community Development; GARY ROBINSON, Fort Myers Code Enforcement Officer; BOB STEVENS, Marshall Creek CDD Supervisor; GENECE MINSHEW, Fernandina Beach City Commissioner; DEAN BLACK, Member of the Florida House of Representatives; BRANDON NEWSOM, Holmes County Commissioner; MICHAEL CLARK ECKERT, Marshall Creek CDD Attorney; MIKE NORRIS, Palm Coast Mayor; DANIEL VIAUD, Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works Administrative Officer; TROY THOMPSON, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Chief of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement/FHP; NANCY BENAVIDES, Florida State University Dean, College of Law; SARAH ELIZABETH ROBINSON, Brevard County School District Principal; MIKE WILLIAMS, Brevard County School District Resource Officer; HEATHER LEGATE, Brevard County School District Principal; DUKERSON JEAN-PAUL, Florida Department of Children and Families, Child Protective Investigator Supervisor; PIERRE EDOUARD, Young Men’s Preparatory Academy Principal.

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Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations— June 2025 Meeting

Florida Ethics Update: Commission on Ethics Determinations—June Meeting

June 12, 2025

June 2025 FCOE Meeting
Photo: The Florida Channel

During its meeting on Friday, June 11, 2025, the Florida Commission on Ethics (Commission), the constitutionally created independent agency tasked with interpreting and enforcing the State’s ethics laws, took action on a myriad of matters involving the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (Florida Code of Ethics) and the “Sunshine Amendment” to the State constitution (Art. II, s. 8, Fla. Const.). 

Public Session
Ethics Opinion Issued to Newberry Mayor Finding that In-Office Lobbying Ban Will Not Prohibit Him from Acting as a Registered Lobbyist Before the Federal Government

 

The Commission began the meeting by unanimously approving the third ever ethics opinion interpreting a controversial new in-office lobbying ban contained in the Florida Constitution and finding it inapplicable to prohibit the proposed private representational activities of the Mayor. The constitutional ban prohibits “public officers” including an “elected municipal officer,” such as the Mayor, from lobbying the “the federal government, the legislature, any state government body or agency, or any political subdivision of this state” on issues of policy, appropriations, or procurement while serving in public office.

 

However, in the opinion issued on Friday, the Commission found that the ban would not prohibit the Mayor from being employed in his private capacity as the New Development Officer for the John Birch Society and representing the organization as a registered lobbyist before the federal government. The Commission found the ban inapplicable pursuant to enabling legislation, s. 112.3121, F.S., which excludes from the definition of lobbying instances when an individual is “acting in the normal course of his or her duties, unless he or she is principally employed for governmental affairs.” The Commission reasoned that the Mayor was acting in the normal course of his employment responsibilities as the Birch Society’s New Development Officer in his communications with federal officials on behalf of the organization and was not otherwise primarily employed for “governmental affairs.”

 

The controversial constitutional in-office lobbying ban was the subject of court challenges immediately after it became effective in 2022 and initially resulted in the issuance of a permanent injunction in August 2023 prohibiting its enforcement on First Amendment grounds. However, the ruling was appealed by the Commission on Ethics to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which, on November 30, 2023, approved a motion finding that the in-office lobbying restrictions remain enforceable during the period when the appeal is proceeding through the judicial process. Since that time, the Commission has continued to enforce and interpret the in-office lobbying ban while it awaits a final ruling on the appeal from the 11th Circuit. More information on the matter is available HERE.

Ethics Opinion Finds that Revolving Door Restrictions Would Not Prohibit Former Department of Corrections Employee from Working for a Vendor of the Department but Caution Warranted 
 

The Commission also approved an ethics opinion given to an Assistant Warden employed in Region 4 of the Department of Corrections finding that the post-public employment restrictions of the Florida Code of Ethics would not prohibit him from going to work for a vendor of the agency which provides healthcare services to the Department. However, the opinion further found that certain post-public-employment communications restrictions contained in the Code would prohibit the Assistant Warden, during the two years after leaving his public position, from representing his new employer before his former “agency” as defined in the analysis.

 

During the contemplation of the opinion, Commissioner Paul Bain expressed concerns to the Assistant Warden that this employment opportunity posed “a lot of hazards that will have to be navigated along the way” should the Assistant Warden leave his public employment in favor of the vendor. Bain stated that it was his opinion that the Warden would “have to be careful” as this was a course “filled with a lot of potholes.”  

 

Thereafter, Commission Chair Luis Fuste echoed the concerns expressed by his fellow commissioner and warned the Warden that he would “have to be very careful” in the establishment of “boundaries” concerning his communications made on behalf of the vendor.

 

Ethics Complaint Settlements
 

During the meeting the Commission considered and approved the settlement of an ethics complaint brought against Lake Butler City Commissioner, Annette Redman. The Commission found Redman had a voting conflict when she voted on the proposed rezoning of an area to permit mobile homes where her sister owned property, and she misused her position when she reached out to City staff members for assistance with the proper procedure for rezoning. In light of these ethics violations the Commission recommended that the Governor impose a civil penalty of $4,000 and publicly censure and reprimand the City Commissioner.

 

The Commission also adopted a settlement of an ethics complaint filed against Marco Island City Council Member, Tamara Goehler. The settlement found Goehler abused her position to obtain a disproportionate benefit and misused her position when she attempted to influence the content of police reports about her two dogs attacking a neighbor’s dog and minor child. In light of these ethics violations the Commission recommended that the Governor impose a civil penalty of $5,000 and publicly censure and reprimand the Councilmember.

 
Ethics Legislative Update
 

The Florida Regular Legislative Session commenced on March 4th and ended on June 6, 2025. During the Commission’s meeting the agency’s Executive Director, Kerrie Stillman, advised the Commission as to several bills that were passed into law which had ethics import.

 

Learn about passed legislation impacting Florida’s ethics and open government laws via FEI’s “2025 Post-Session Florida Ethics Legislative Report“ available now!

Executive Session

During its closed session meeting (wherein confidential and exempt matters are addressed) the Commission took action on thirty-six (36) matters. In a Press Release issued June 11, 2025, the Commission made the following findings.

 

Ethics Complaints Considered for Probable Cause
 

During the Executive Session meeting, three (3) ethics complaints were considered for probable cause. Commission determinations regarding probable cause are based upon the ethics complaint, the Report of Investigation, the Advocate’s Recommendation, as well as written statements submitted by the respondent (against whom the complaint is filed) and any oral statements made at the meeting.  At the meeting to determine probable cause the Commission may find that no probable cause exists to believe that a violation of the Code of Ethics or other breach of the public trust has occurred, and a public report will be issued concluding the matter and closing the file. Conversely, the Commission may find that probable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred and order a public hearing of the complaint before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) or it may find that probable cause exists but no further action should be taken in the matter due to the totality of the circumstances. A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations.

 

The Commission considered the results of three, self-initiated investigations – required by statute – to determine if there is probable cause to believe the individuals willfully failed to file their Form 1 “Statement of Financial Interests” disclosure. 


The Commission found no probable cause to believe David Clemente, former Broward County Purchasing Manager and current Fort Lauderdale Assistant Manager of Procurement and Contracts, willfully failed to file his 2020 Form 1.

 

The Commission also found probable cause to believe Rod Lincoln, Villages of Pasadena Hills Advisory & Planning Committee, willfully failed to file his 2021 Form 1, “Statement of Financial Interests” disclosure.

 

In a matter regarding North Bay Fire Control District Commissioner, Joseph Martin Fagundes, III, the Commission found probable cause that he willfully failed to timely file his 2020 Form 1, but the Commission will take no further action based on the circumstances of the matter.

 

Ethics Complaints Dismissed for Lacking Legal Sufficiency
 

The Commission also reviewed and dismissed thirty-three (33) ethics complaints for lacking legal sufficiency. These reviews are limited to questions of jurisdiction and determinations as to whether the contents of the complaint are adequate to allege a violation of the Code of Ethics or other laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In any matter where a complaint is found legally insufficient and dismissed, the Commission will issue an order explaining the rationale for the dismissal.  Once an order dismissing the complaint has been rendered, the order dismissing the complaint and all documents related thereto will become public records.

 

At its meeting the Commission dismissed complaints filed against the following public servants due to a lack of legal sufficiency: APRIL THANOS, Gulfport City Council Member; PAUL MIXOM, Okaloosa County District 1 Commissioner; JOE MOHOLLAND, St. Pete Beach City Commissioner; AUGUSTO GONZALEZ, Cocoa Code Enforcement Manager; STOCKTON WHITTEN, Cocoa City Manager; LAVANDER HEARN, ALEX GOINS, LORRAINE KOSS, Cocoa Council Members; ANTHONY GARGANESE, Cocoa City Attorney; BRYAN NELSON, Apopka Mayor; THOMAS COX, Palm Beach County School District Manager of the Division of Facilities and Management; PATRICIA WEEKS, Cocoa Council Member; MICHAEL C. BLAKE, Cocoa Mayor; JOSE ALMONTE, Orange County Deputy Sheriff; RICHARD “MIKE” HAMMER, Palm Bay Councilman; BRIAN HAWKINS, Hernando County Commissioner; JOHN MEEKS, Former Levy County Commissioner; DESIREE MILLS, Levy County Commissioner; JASON WHISTLER, Levy County Property Appraiser; RANDY RUTTER, Levy County Assistant Property Appraiser; BRIAN JONES, Levy County Residential, Commercial, and Agricultural Coordinator; MICHAEL NORRIS, Palm Coast Mayor; JAMES ALEXANDER GOINS, Cocoa District 1 Councilman; JOHN MARSHALL, Lake Saint Charles Community Development District Supervisor and Treasurer; T. SAINTIL, Department of Corrections Housing Officer; PAUL SHEFFER, Department of Juvenile Justice Chief Probation Officer; DAVID FRECHETTE, South Village CDD Board Member; SEAN WILCOX, Coquina Water Control District Board Member; BRIAN F. HAWKINS, Hernando County Commissioner; RICKY DIXON, Department of Corrections Secretary; JENNIFER SPAIN, Volusia County Pollution Control and Water Quality Activity Manager; LAURA KRAMER, Department of Health Septic Program Coordinator; VIRGINIA “GINNY” GIANAKOS, Lake Saint Charles Community Development District Supervisor and Chair.

 

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