2023 Ethics Enactments

Ethics

Lawmakers across the U.S. introduced 392 ethics bills in 2023—at least one in all 50 states. Of these, 72 measures were enacted in 31 states. This page includes highlights of the enactments, which addressed such topics as conflicts of interest, misconduct, financial disclosure and penalties as they apply to legislators, commissions, the executive branch, the judiciary, lobbyists and others.

The sections below are organized by topic, with a list of state enactments at the bottom. For information on all ethics legislation, including pending bills, please see the Ethics Legislation Database. 

Key Takeaways

Hawaii passed more ethics bills than any other state, with nine enactments.
Hawaii, Florida and Virginia enacted requirements that various elected officials receive ethics training related to lobbying, general ethics and conflicts of interest, respectively.
Virginia and California clarified the definition of gifts, exempting tickets or registration for an agency’s own event and the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow, respectively.
Fourteen states passed laws related to financial disclosure requirements, including who must file and contents of the statements.
Louisiana and Montana exempted jurisdictions under a certain size from nepotism prohibitions in municipal employee hiring and county board appointments.

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Conflicts of Interest

ND H 1485: Requires each legislative assembly to adopt conflict of interest rules that require disclosure of potential conflicts related to bills in which a legislator has a substantial interest. The ethics commission’s disclosure rules may not apply if the legislature’s rules are at least equally restrictive as the commission’s rules.

Complaints

ND S 2048: Requires a person making an ethics complaint be a North Dakota resident who is subject to licensing by a state agency or public official and is a party in a quasi-judicial proceeding. Updates notice and adjudication procedures and timelines for complaints.

NM H 169: Authorizes the interim legislative ethics committee to issue advisory opinions and lays out complaint procedures. Prohibits members of the committee from participating in matters related to their own conduct.

NM H 466: Stipulates that public officials and state employees responding to an ethics complaint are entitled to representation by a state risk management attorney.

Gifts/Bribes/Honorarium

HI H 142: Prohibits lobbyists from making certain gifts to legislators and state employees and imposes a fine for doing so.

HI S 1493: Prohibits contributions or promises of contributions to or on behalf of candidates, candidate committees or noncandidate committees during legislative session and five days before or after session.

WA S 5170: Allows legislators who are elected leaders of a national legislative association to solicit gifts, grants or donations for an official conference the association holds outside the state.

VA H 1911/VA S 1002: Allows officials to accept gifts from foreign dignitaries so long as they are not from a country that has supported acts of international terrorism.

Financial Disclosure

HI H 140: Allows the destruction of financial disclosure documents to be optional after a period of six years instead of mandatory. Pertains to legislators, candidates for state elected office, employees, lobbyists and constitutional convention delegates.

HI H 141: Requires legislators to disclose the names of business partners, employers and clients in their financial disclosure statement.

ME S 647 a: Updates income report filing requirements for candidates and legislators. Increases the maximum penalty for legislators from $100 to $250. Lays out notice requirements for legislators or candidates who do not file by the deadline.

NY A 5308: Updates the income threshold that triggers financial disclosure requirements.

NY S 5621: Requires public officials to report financial interests in digital assets.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

RI S 1135: Exempts unsatisfied default judgments from financial disclosures.

TN S 158: Lays out filing and disclosure processes for consulting or campaign services. Requires general assembly members and staff to disclose campaign services they are hired for. Lays out processes related to the Tennessee Ethics Commission’s authority to request advisory opinions from the attorney general. Authorizes the Commission to issue informal advisory opinions and lays out related procedures.

Official Misconduct

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

Violations and Penalties

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 142: Prohibits lobbyists from making certain gifts to legislators and state employees and imposes a fine for doing so.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

ME S 647 a: Updates income report filing requirements for candidates and legislators and increases the maximum penalty for legislators from $100 to $250. Lays out notice requirements for legislators or candidates who do not file by the deadline.

Qualifications for Office

TN S 159: Prohibits individuals who fail to pay a civil penalty for violating campaign finance and ethics rules from qualifying for election. Lays out appointment and hiring processes of directors and staff for the bureau of ethics and campaign finance. Authorizes the Tennessee ethics commission to communicate with individuals who file statements with the commission primarily via email, including for the purposes of delivering notice.

Complaints

AR S 543: Authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to investigate citizen complaints alleging ethics violations. Requires a vacancy to occur if a school district board member violates statutory ethical guidelines and prohibitions. Prohibits school board members, administrators and employees from disclosing information acquired during an executive board directors’ session. Creates a class A misdemeanor for violating provisions in the school board laws. Prohibits board members from acting in a way that would remove a member of the public from a school campus or event.

KS S 208: Prohibits someone representing a complainant before the ethics commission from otherwise communicating with or advising the commission on the same or a related matter.

NM H 466: Stipulates that public officials and state employees responding to an ethics complaint are entitled to representation by a state risk management attorney.

Administration

AR S 280: Eliminates the $2,700 limit on candidate campaign contributions and authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to determine a maximum limit for each election. Caps fines for some violations at $150. Requires complaints alleging a public trust crime to include a court record showing the alleged violator plead or was found guilty of the crime.

FL S 774: Requires the ethics commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics. Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Updates adjudication procedures for complaints regarding lobbyists. Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000.

LA S 84: Requires the Board of Ethics Computerized Data Management System to electronically respond to filings made through their system.

MD S 35/MD H 58: Requires the Department of Information Technology to provide resources to live stream State Ethics Commission meetings.

TN S 159: Lays out appointment and hiring processes of directors and staff for the bureau of ethics and campaign finance. Authorizes the Tennessee ethics commission to communicate with individuals who file statements with the commission primarily via email, including for the purposes of delivering notice.

Prohibits individuals who fail to pay a civil penalty for violating campaign finance and ethics rules from qualifying for election.

Procedure

CA A 319: Establishes processes to review statements of economic interests, determine whether conflicts of interest regarding real property exist and adjudicate any related complaints for mobile home park inspectors.

LA S 40: Sets procedures for a motion for summary judgment to be made before the Ethics Adjudicatory Board.

LA S 26: Requires the Ethics Adjudicatory Board to mail a hearing notice to a respondent or their attorney.

OR S 207: Gives the Oregon Ethics Commission the authority to act under its own motion if it believes certain ethics violations occur.

NM H 466: Stipulates that public officials and state employees responding to an ethics complaint are entitled to representation by a state risk management attorney.

TN S 158: Lays out processes related to the Tennessee Ethics Commission’s authority to request advisory opinions from the attorney general. Authorizes the Commission to issue informal advisory opinions and lays out related procedures. Lays out filing and disclosure processes for consulting or campaign services. Requires general assembly members and staff to disclose campaign services they are hired for.

Other

AR H 1285: Updates which ethics violations are misdemeanors of various levels and clarifies language accordingly.

Complaints

NM H 466: Stipulates that public officials and state employees responding to an ethics complaint are entitled to representation by a state risk management attorney.

Conflicts of Interest

NC H 116: Allows a district attorney who excludes themselves from a matter due to a conflict of interest to request that another district attorney, prosecutor or qualified attorney be appointed to the matter as a special prosecutor.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

OR S 168: Prohibits an individual from influencing a public employee to promote or oppose the filing of a ballot measure. Clarifies that public employees are prohibited from engaging in campaigning activity while acting in their capacity as a public employee. Clarifies that public employees may express personal political views as long as a reasonable person would infer that they are not the employer’s views. Clarifies that public employees may speak with other public employees about a person’s appointment to public office only if the communication is pursuant to the recipient's official duties.

Financial Disclosure

NY A 5308: Updates the income threshold that triggers financial disclosure requirements.

NY S 5621: Requires public officials to report financial interests in digital assets.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

RI S 1135: Exempts unsatisfied default judgments from financial disclosures.

VA H 2223: Requires members of the board of directors of the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority to file annual financial interest statements.

Gifts/Bribes/Hhonorarium

VA H 216/ VA S 57: Exempts from the definition of “gift” tickets or registration fees for an event an agency provides to its own officers or employees.

VA H 1911/VA S 1002: Allows officials to accept gifts from foreign dignitaries so long as they are not from a country that has supported acts of international terrorism.

Nepotism

TN S 103: Defines “governmental entity” and clarifies that a person who receives compensation through a governmental entity is an employee for purposes of nepotism. Provides penalties for violating nepotism prohibitions.

Official Misconduct

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

TX H 17: Expands the definition of “official misconduct” to include prosecuting attorneys’ refusal to prosecute a type of criminal offense or instructing law enforcement to refuse to arrest individuals suspected of committing a type of offense.

Qualifications for Office

TN S 159: Prohibits individuals who fail to pay a civil penalty for violating campaign finance and ethics rules from qualifying for election. Lays out appointment and hiring processes of directors and staff for the bureau of ethics and campaign finance. Authorizes the Tennessee ethics commission to communicate with individuals who file statements with the commission primarily via email, including for the purposes of delivering notice.

Revolving Door

ME H 871: Prohibits former executive branch or classified service employees from lobbying for one year after their employment ends. Lays out complaint procedures and penalties for related violations.

Use of Public Resources

OR S 168: Clarifies that public employees are prohibited from engaging in campaigning activity while acting in their capacity as a public employee. Prohibits an individual from influencing a public employee to promote or oppose the filing of a ballot measure. Clarifies that public employees may express personal political views as long as a reasonable person would infer that they are not the employer’s views. Clarifies that public employees may speak with other public employees about a person’s appointment to public office only if the communication is pursuant to the recipient's official duties.

SD S 207: Makes it a misdemeanor to violate the state’s prohibition on state and local government bodies or agents spending or authorizing the spending of more than $1,000 of public funds to influence an election.

Violations and Penalties

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

ME H 871: Prohibits former executive branch or classified service employees from lobbying for one year after their employment ends. Lays out complaint procedures and penalties for related violations.

TN S 103: Defines “governmental entity” and clarifies that a person who receives compensation through a governmental entity is an employee for purposes of nepotism. Provides penalties for violating nepotism prohibitions.

Other

GA S 59: Creates an Office of the Inspector General in the office of the governor with authority to investigate the management and operation of agencies.

TN S 159: Authorizes the Tennessee ethics commission to communicate with individuals who file statements with the commission primarily via email, including for the purposes of delivering notice. Lays out appointment and hiring processes of directors and staff for the bureau of ethics and campaign finance. Prohibits individuals who fail to pay a civil penalty for violating campaign finance and ethics rules from qualifying for election.

Complaints

MT S 252 – Subjects judges and judicial officers to various ethics laws. Removes complaints against judges and judicial officers from the county attorney’s jurisdiction.

NV S 62 – Gives the state bar disciplinary jurisdiction over judges if the act committed occurred before they assumed office and gives the Commission on Judicial Discipline jurisdiction in any acts after assuming office.

Conflicts of Interest

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

Financial Disclosure

NH S 27: Requires certain judicial financial disclosure forms to satisfy statutory requirements.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

RI S 1135: Exempts unsatisfied default judgments from financial disclosures.

Gifts/Bribes/Honorarium

VA H 1911/VA S 1002: Allows officials to accept gifts from foreign dignitaries so long as they are not from a country that has supported acts of international terrorism.

Nepotism

TN S 103: Defines “governmental entity” and clarifies that a person who receives compensation through a governmental entity is an employee for purposes of nepotism. Provides penalties for violating nepotism prohibitions.

Official Misconduct

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

Violations and Penalties

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

HI H 986: Defines official misconduct as a felony that includes using one’s official position for personal benefit. Applies to any officer or employee of any branch of government.

MT H 412: Defines “judicial officer.” Subjects judicial officers to penalties for abusing public trust.

TN S 103: Defines “governmental entity” and clarifies that a person who receives compensation through a governmental entity is an employee for purposes of nepotism. Provides penalties for violating nepotism prohibitions.

Other

MT S 252: Subjects judges and judicial officers to various ethics laws. Removes complaints against judges and judicial officers from the county attorney’s jurisdiction.

MT H 412: Defines “judicial officer.” Subjects judicial officers to penalties for abusing public trust.

Complaints

FL S 774: Updates ethics commission adjudication procedures for complaints regarding lobbyists. Requires the commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000. Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics.

ME H 871: Prohibits former executive branch or classified service employees from lobbying for one year after their employment ends. Lays out complaint procedures and penalties for related violations.

NM H 466: Stipulates that public officials and state employees responding to an ethics complaint are entitled to representation by a state risk management attorney.

Dual Employment/Office Holding

OR S 661: Prohibits a lobbyist from holding a chair position on an interim committee or on a legislative work group or task force staffed by nonpartisan staff.

Training

HI H 138: Requires lobbyists to complete a lobbying training course administered by the state ethics commission and imposes a fine for failure to complete the course.

Financial Disclosure

HI H 140: Allows the destruction of financial disclosure documents to be optional after a period of six years instead of mandatory. Pertains to legislators, candidates for state elected office, employees, lobbyists and constitutional convention delegates.

Gifts/Bribes/Honorarium

HI H 142: Prohibits lobbyists from making certain gifts to legislators and state employees and imposes a fine for doing so.

Revolving Door

ME H 871: Prohibits former executive branch or classified service employees from lobbying for one year after their employment ends. Lays out complaint procedures and penalties for related violations.

Violations and Penalties

HI H 138: Requires lobbyists to complete a lobbying training course administered by the state ethics commission and imposes a fine for failure to complete the course.

HI H 142: Prohibits lobbyists from making certain gifts to legislators and state employees and imposes a fine for doing so.

ME H 871: Prohibits former executive branch or classified service employees from lobbying for one year after their employment ends. Lays out complaint procedures and penalties for related violations.

Other

CT S 1151: Adds information client lobbyists (lobbyists on behalf of whom lobbying takes place and who make expenditures on lobbying) must include on their registration.

HI H 137: Requires lobbyist expenditure reports to identify the bill or resolution number and budget cost or program identification number of a legislative or administrative action that the lobbyist commented on, supported or opposed.

ME S 644 a: Requires lobbyists to submit a joint registration 10 days after lobbying on behalf of an employer instead of 15 days.

Complaints

AR S 543: Authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to investigate citizen complaints alleging ethics violations. Requires a vacancy to occur if a school district board member violates statutory ethical guidelines and prohibitions. Prohibits school board members, administrators and employees from disclosing information acquired during an executive board directors’ session. Creates a class A misdemeanor for violating provisions in the school board laws. Prohibits board members from acting in a way that would remove a member of the public from a school campus or event.

CA A 319: Establishes processes to review statements of economic interests, determine whether conflicts of interest regarding real property exist and adjudicate any related complaints for mobile home park inspectors.

FL S 774: Updates adjudication procedures for ethics complaints regarding lobbyists. Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Requires the ethics commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics.

ND S 2048: Requires a person making an ethics complaint be a North Dakota resident who is subject to licensing by a state agency or public official and is a party in a quasi-judicial proceeding. Updates notice and adjudication procedures and timelines for complaints.

UT S 227: Allows individuals to file ethics complaints against local school board members.

Conflicts of Interest

CA A 319: Establishes processes to review statements of economic interests, determine whether conflicts of interest regarding real property exist and adjudicate any related complaints for mobile home park inspectors.

OR S 168: Prohibits an individual from influencing a public employee to promote or oppose the filing of a ballot measure. Clarifies that public employees are prohibited from engaging in campaigning activity while acting in their capacity as a public employee. Clarifies that public employees may express personal political views as long as a reasonable person would infer that they are not the employer’s views. Clarifies that public employees may speak with other public employees about a person’s appointment to public office only if the communication is pursuant to the recipient's official duties.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

VT S 17: Establishes conflict of interest, financial disclosure and other ethics rules for sheriffs.

Contracting w/government

CA A 334: Clarifies that an independent contractor is not an officer subject to the prohibition on being financially interested in a contract.

MT S 358: Requires local governments to post information online about contracts they enter into for lobbying on their behalf at the state legislature.

SD S 200: Defines a direct benefit from a contract in relation to water districts and sets some disclosure requirements for water district directors and employees.

Dual Employment/Office Holding

IL H 2079: Allows a township officer to hold a position on the board of a nonprofit corporation under certain circumstances.

Training

FL H 199: Requires local independent special district officers to complete ethics training.

VA S 1460 /VA H 2122: Requires appointed school board members to take conflict of interest training.

Financial Disclosure

CA A 319: Establishes processes to review statements of economic interests, determine whether conflicts of interest regarding real property exist and adjudicate any related complaints for mobile home park inspectors.

FL S 774: Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Requires the ethics commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Updates adjudication procedures for complaints regarding lobbyists. Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics.

HI H 140: Allows the destruction of financial disclosure documents to be optional after a period of six years instead of mandatory. Pertains to legislators, candidates for state elected office, employees, lobbyists and constitutional convention delegates.

HI S 182: Updates financial interest statement filing deadlines for candidates for state elective office. Updates notice procedures and fines for failing to file.

IL H 1131: Requires Regional Development Authority directors and board members to file statements of economic interest. Requires Regional Transit Boards and Regional Development Authorities to designate ethics officers and subjects them to various other ethics laws.

OR H 2038: Requires statements of economic interest filed by any government official, employee or agent to include information about the sources of income for businesses run by a public official or candidate and businesses for which they serve as an officer if the source of income has an interest in or could do business with the governmental entity the official is involved in or that the official would have authority over. Officials may be required to request information from sources of income if they do not know this information.

RI S 1135: Exempts unsatisfied default judgments from financial disclosures.

SD S 200: Defines a direct benefit from a contract in relation to water districts and sets some disclosure requirements for water district directors and employees.

VT S 17: Establishes conflict of interest, financial disclosure and other ethics rules for sheriffs.

Gifts/Bribes/Honorarium

CA S 698: Clarifies that the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow are not considered a gift, compensation or other type of interest.

HI H 142: Prohibits lobbyists from making certain gifts to legislators and state employees and imposes a fine for doing so.

MS H 405: Sets the statute of limitations for bribery.

MT S 117: Prohibits city, towns and certain state institutions from accepting private funding, including gifts, for elections.

VA H 205: Prohibits private funding, including private provision of any gifts, in elections.

VA H 1911/VA S 1002: Allows officials to accept gifts from foreign dignitaries so long as they are not from a country that has supported acts of international terrorism.

Nepotism

HI H 717: Prohibits certain state employees from hiring, supervising or awarding contracts to relatives or household members.

LA H 192: Allows municipalities with less than 1,000 people to employ an immediate family member of a municipal governing body member if they are the only qualified applicant. Requires a municipal governing body member to recuse themselves in the promotion or assignment of a family member.

MT H 295: Allows a board, bureau or commission of a county with less than 10,000 people to appoint a person related to a member if the member abstains from the appointment vote.

Official Misconduct

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

Personal Gain

WA H 1577: Adjusts the amounts a municipal officer may gain from a contract.

Use of Public Resources

OR S 168: Clarifies that public employees are prohibited from engaging in campaigning activity while acting in their capacity as a public employee. Prohibits an individual from influencing a public employee to promote or oppose the filing of a ballot measure. Clarifies that public employees may express personal political views as long as a reasonable person would infer that they are not the employer’s views. Clarifies that public employees may speak with other public employees about a person’s appointment to public office only if the communication is pursuant to the recipient's official duties.

SD S 207: Makes it a misdemeanor to violate the state’s prohibition on state and local government bodies or agents spending or authorizing the spending of more than $1,000 of public funds to influence an election.

Violations and Penalties

AR S 543: Creates a class A misdemeanor for violating provisions in the school board laws. Prohibits board members from acting in a way that would remove a member of the public from a school campus or event. Requires a vacancy to occur if a school district board member violates statutory ethical guidelines and prohibitions. Authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to investigate citizen complaints alleging ethics violations. Prohibits school board members, administrators and employees from disclosing information acquired during an executive board directors’ session.

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

FL S 774: Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000. Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Requires the ethics commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Updates adjudication procedures for complaints regarding lobbyists. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics.

SD S 207: Makes it a misdemeanor to violate the state’s prohibition on state and local government bodies or agents spending or authorizing the spending of more than $1,000 of public funds to influence an election.

Whistleblowing

AL S 103: Clarifies that a supervisor may not retaliate or discriminate against an employee who has given truthful statements concerning an ethics violation regardless of whether the employee filed the complaint.

Alabama

AL S 103: Clarifies that a supervisor may not retaliate or discriminate against an employee who has given truthful statements concerning an ethics violation regardless of whether the employee filed the complaint.

Arkansas

AR S 280: Eliminates the $2,700 limit on candidate campaign contributions and authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to determine a maximum limit for each election. Caps fines for some violations at $150. Requires complaints alleging a public trust crime to include a court record showing the alleged violator plead or was found guilty of the crime.

AR S 543: Requires a vacancy to occur if a school district board member violates statutory ethical guidelines and prohibitions. Authorizes the Arkansas Ethics Commission to investigate citizen complaints alleging ethics violations. Prohibits school board members, administrators and employees from disclosing information acquired during an executive board directors’ session. Creates a class A misdemeanor for violating provisions in the school board laws. Prohibits board members from acting in a way that would remove a member of the public from a school campus or event.

AR H 1285: Updates which ethics violations are misdemeanors of various levels and clarifies language accordingly.

California

CA A 319: Establishes processes to review statements of economic interests, determine whether conflicts of interest regarding real property exist and adjudicate any related complaints for mobile home park inspectors.

CA A 334: Clarifies that an independent contractor is not an officer subject to the prohibition of being financially interested in a contract.

CA S 698: Clarifies that the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow are not considered a gift, compensation or other type of interest.

Connecticut

CT S 1151: Adds information client lobbyists (lobbyists on behalf of whom lobbying takes place and who make expenditures on lobbying) must include on their registration.

Delaware

DE S 67: Clarifies that a public servant may only be found guilty of official misconduct if they knowingly commit an act that is intended to obtain a personal benefit or cause harm to another person. Adds discrimination on the basis of gender identity, national origin, ancestry and disability, among other characteristics, to the definition of official misconduct. Creates criminal penalties for violating this section.

Florida

FL H 199: Requires local independent special district officers to complete ethics training.

FL S 774: Requires mayors and elected members of a municipality to comply with financial disclosure requirements. Requires the ethics commission to notify all people who are required to file a statement or disclosure of financial interests. Updates adjudication procedures for complaints regarding lobbyists. Revises financial disclosure filing deadlines. Increases the maximum penalty for failing to file a disclosure from $10,000 to $20,000. Creates requirements for an electronic filing system run by the Commission on Ethics.

Georgia

GA S 59: Creates an Office of the Inspector General in the office of the governor with authority to investigate the management and operation of agencies.

Hawaii