HB 1421 - Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees

• Increases civil penalties for ethics violations from $10,000 to $50,000 for public officers, employees, candidates, and former officers or employees.

• Creates qualified blind trust provisions allowing Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Cabinet members to shield economic interests from conflict of interest and voting conflict rules while maintaining strict prohibitions on knowledge of trust holdings and trustee communications.

• Expands the Commission on Ethics' investigative authority to include violations reported through reliable public information, referrals from state officials, and random audits—not just sworn written complaints.

• Establishes voting conflict standards distinguishing between elective state officers (who may vote with disclosure) and appointive state/local officers (who must abstain and cannot participate without pre-vote disclosure).

• Prohibits vendors doing business with an agency from giving gifts or honoraria to reporting individuals and procurement employees, and requires filers to indicate which financial disclosure method (5% threshold or $2,500 threshold) they use.