CS/HB 7131 - Ethics Bill Summary

• Dual Employment Restrictions: Prohibits public officers from accepting additional state employment if offered to gain influence based on their office or candidacy; must meet equal application and hiring standards.

• Post-Legislative Lobbying Ban: Prevents former legislators from acting as lobbyists before executive branch agencies, officials, or employees for 2 years following vacation of office.

• Ethics Training Requirements: Requires constitutional officers (governors, attorneys general, sheriffs, school board members, etc.) to complete 4 hours of annual ethics training covering the state constitution, ethics code, and public records laws.

• Qualified Blind Trust Provisions: Allows public officers to hold economic interests in qualified blind trusts without creating prohibited conflicts of interest, subject to strict restrictions on officer control and communication with trustees.

• Financial Disclosure and Enforcement Enhancements: Establishes electronic filing systems for financial disclosures, allows salary withholding for unpaid ethics fines, permits attorney/CPA assistance with disclosures, and protects immaterial/de minimis filing errors from enforcement action.