House Bill 0181c2

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000           CS/CS/HB 181

        By the Committees on Governmental Operations, Rules &
    Calendar and Representatives Arnall, Feeney, Lynn and Fasano





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to financial disclosure by

  3         persons assuming or departing public positions;

  4         amending s. 112.3144, F.S.; requiring former

  5         officers and employees to file a final

  6         disclosure of financial interests no later than

  7         60 days following departure, with certain

  8         exceptions; requiring certain notice be

  9         provided to those required to file financial

10         disclosure; amending s. 112.3145, F.S.;

11         redefining the terms "local officer" and "state

12         officer" to include certain elected individuals

13         who have not officially assumed the

14         responsibilities of office; requiring former

15         officers and employees to file a final

16         statement of financial interests within 60 days

17         after leaving office or employment, with

18         certain exceptions; requiring certain notice be

19         provided to those required to file financial

20         disclosure; amending s. 112.3146, F.S.;

21         specifying that certain financial disclosure

22         statements are public records; amending s.

23         112.3147, F.S.; directing the Commission on

24         Ethics to prescribe forms for financial

25         disclosure statements; amending s. 112.3148,

26         F.S.; redefining the term "reporting

27         individual" with respect to the receipt of

28         gifts; providing an effective date.

29

30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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  1         Section 1.  Subsections (1) and (3) of section

  2  112.3144, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (4) is

  3  added to said section, to read:

  4         112.3144  Full and public disclosure of financial

  5  interests.--

  6         (1)  No person who is required, pursuant to s. 8, Art.

  7  II of the State Constitution, to file a full and public

  8  disclosure of financial interests and who has filed a full and

  9  public disclosure of financial interests for any calendar or

10  fiscal year shall be required to file a statement of financial

11  interests pursuant to s. 112.3145(2) and (3) for the same year

12  or for any part thereof notwithstanding any requirement of

13  this part, except that a candidate for office shall file a

14  copy of his or her disclosure with the officer before whom he

15  or she qualifies, and except for the final filing required by

16  subsection (4).

17         (3)  Forms for compliance with the full and public

18  disclosure requirements of s. 8, Art. II of the State

19  Constitution, and a current list of persons required to file

20  full and public disclosure by s. 8, Art. II of the State

21  Constitution, or other state law, shall be provided by the

22  Commission on Ethics to the Secretary of State, who shall give

23  notice of disclosure deadlines and delinquencies and

24  distribute forms in the following manner:

25         (a)  Not later than May 1 of each year, the Commission

26  on Ethics shall prepare a current list of the names and

27  addresses of and the offices held by every person required to

28  file full and public disclosure annually by s. 8, Art. II of

29  the State Constitution, or other state law, and shall provide

30  the Secretary of State with the mailing list. In compiling the

31  list, the commission shall be assisted by each unit of

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  1  government in providing at the request of the commission the

  2  name, address, and name of the office held by each public

  3  official within the respective unit of government.

  4         (b)  Not later than 30 days before July 1 of each year,

  5  the Secretary of State shall mail a copy of the form

  6  prescribed for compliance with full and public disclosure and

  7  a notice of the filing deadline to each person on the mailing

  8  list.

  9         (c)  Not later than 30 days after July 1 of each year,

10  the Secretary of State shall determine which persons on the

11  mailing list have failed to file full and public disclosure

12  and shall send delinquency notices by certified mail to such

13  persons. Each notice shall state that a grace period is in

14  effect until September 1 of the current year and that, if the

15  statement is not filed by September 1 of the current year, the

16  Secretary of State is required by law to notify the Commission

17  on Ethics of the delinquency.

18         (d)  Not later than 30 days following September 1 of

19  each year, the Secretary of State shall certify to the

20  Commission on Ethics a list of the names and addresses of and

21  the offices held by all persons on the mailing list who have

22  failed to timely file full and public disclosure.  The

23  certification shall be on a form prescribed by the commission

24  and shall indicate whether the Secretary of State has provided

25  the disclosure forms and notice as required by this section to

26  all persons named on the delinquency list.

27         (e)  Any person subject to the annual filing of full

28  and public disclosure under s. 8, Art. II of the State

29  Constitution, or other state law, whose name is not on the

30  mailing list provided to the Secretary of State shall not be

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  1  deemed delinquent for failure to file full and public

  2  disclosure in any year in which the omission occurred.

  3         (f)  The notification requirements of this subsection

  4  do not apply to candidates or to the first filing required of

  5  any person appointed to elective constitutional office.  The

  6  appointing official shall notify such newly appointed person

  7  of the obligation to file full and public disclosure by July

  8  1. The head of the agency of each person who is required to

  9  file full and public disclosure shall notify that person,

10  within 30 days of leaving his or her public position, of the

11  obligation to file a final disclosure statement and may

12  designate a person to be responsible for the notification

13  requirements of this subsection.  Also, each qualifying

14  officer shall notify each candidate qualifying for election to

15  office of the final disclosure requirements.

16         (g)  The commission shall include a statement

17  substantially as follows on the form prescribed by it for full

18  and public disclosure of financial interests: "In addition to

19  the requirement that you file this disclosure no later than

20  July 1 of each year, you will be required to file a final

21  disclosure within 60 days after you leave the position for

22  which you are required to file this form, unless you are

23  subject to one of the following exemptions: (1) within the

24  60-day period you take another public position requiring

25  financial disclosure under s. 8, Art. II of the State

26  Constitution, or (2) you are otherwise required to file full

27  and public disclosure for the final disclosure period. You may

28  not necessarily receive additional notice of this

29  requirement." The commission shall also prepare a separate

30  explanation of the final disclosure requirements. Any person

31  required to give notice of the final disclosure requirements

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  1  may fulfill that obligation by providing a copy of the

  2  explanation prepared by the commission.

  3         (4)  Each person required to file full and public

  4  disclosure of financial interests shall file a final

  5  disclosure statement within 60 days after leaving his or her

  6  public position for the period between January 1 of the year

  7  in which the person leaves office and the last day of office

  8  or employment, unless within the 60-day period the person

  9  takes another public position requiring financial disclosure

10  under s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution, or otherwise is

11  required to file full and public disclosure for the final

12  disclosure period.

13         Section 2.  Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1),

14  paragraph (b) of subsection (2), and subsections (6), (7), and

15  (8) of section 112.3145, Florida Statutes, are amended to

16  read:

17         112.3145  Disclosure of financial interests and clients

18  represented before agencies.--

19         (1)  For purposes of this section, unless the context

20  otherwise requires, the term:

21         (a)  "Local officer" means:

22         1.  Every person who is elected to office in any

23  political subdivision of the state, and every person who is

24  appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in such an

25  elective office, or any individual who has been elected to,

26  but has yet to officially assume the responsibilities of,

27  public office.

28         2.  Any appointed member of a board; commission;

29  authority, including any expressway authority or

30  transportation authority established by general law; community

31  college district board of trustees; or council of any

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  1  political subdivision of the state, excluding any member of an

  2  advisory body. A governmental body with land-planning, zoning,

  3  or natural resources responsibilities shall not be considered

  4  an advisory body.

  5         3.  Any person holding one or more of the following

  6  positions: mayor; county or city manager; chief administrative

  7  employee of a county, municipality, or other political

  8  subdivision; county or municipal attorney; chief county or

  9  municipal building inspector; county or municipal water

10  resources coordinator; county or municipal pollution control

11  director; county or municipal environmental control director;

12  county or municipal administrator, with power to grant or deny

13  a land development permit; chief of police; fire chief;

14  municipal clerk; district school superintendent; community

15  college president; district medical examiner; or purchasing

16  agent having the authority to make any purchase exceeding the

17  threshold amount provided for in s. 287.017 for CATEGORY ONE,

18  on behalf of any political subdivision of the state or any

19  entity thereof.

20         (c)  "State officer" means:

21         1.  Any elected public officer, excluding those elected

22  to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, not

23  covered elsewhere in this part and any person who is appointed

24  to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in such an elective

25  office, or any individual who has been elected to, but has yet

26  to officially assume the responsibilities of, public office.

27         2.  An appointed member of each board, commission,

28  authority, or council having statewide jurisdiction, excluding

29  a member of an advisory body.

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  1         3.  A member of the Board of Regents, the Chancellor

  2  and Vice Chancellors of the State University System, and the

  3  president of a state university.

  4         (2)

  5         (b)  Each state or local officer and each specified

  6  state employee shall file a statement of financial interests

  7  no later than July 1 of each year. Each former state or local

  8  officer or specified state employee shall file a final

  9  financial disclosure statement within 60 days after leaving

10  his or her public position for the period between January 1 of

11  the year in which the person leaves and the last day of office

12  or employment, unless within the 60-day period the person

13  takes another public position requiring disclosure under this

14  section or s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution, or

15  otherwise is required to file either full and public

16  disclosure or disclosure under this section for the final

17  reporting period. Each state or local officer who is appointed

18  and each specified state employee who is employed shall file a

19  statement of financial interests within 30 days from the date

20  of appointment or, in the case of a specified state employee,

21  from the date on which the employment begins, except that any

22  person whose appointment is subject to confirmation by the

23  Senate shall file prior to confirmation hearings or within 30

24  days from the date of appointment, whichever comes first.

25         (6)  Forms for compliance with the disclosure

26  requirements of this section and a current list of persons

27  subject to disclosure shall be provided by the Commission on

28  Ethics to the Secretary of State and to each supervisor of

29  elections, who shall give notice of disclosure deadlines and

30  delinquencies and distribute forms in the following manner:

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  1         (a)1.  Not later than May 1 of each year, the

  2  Commission on Ethics shall prepare a current list of the names

  3  and addresses of, and the offices or positions held by, every

  4  state officer, local officer, and specified employee. In

  5  compiling the list, the commission shall be assisted by each

  6  unit of government in providing, at the request of the

  7  commission, the name, address, and name of agency of, and the

  8  office or position held by, each state officer, local officer,

  9  or specified state employee within the respective unit of

10  government.

11         2.  Not later than May 15 of each year, the commission

12  shall provide the Secretary of State with a current mailing

13  list of all state officers and specified employees and shall

14  provide each supervisor of elections with a current mailing

15  list of all local officers required to file with such

16  supervisor of elections.

17         (b)  Not later than 30 days before July 1 of each year,

18  the Secretary of State and each supervisor of elections shall

19  mail a copy of the form prescribed for compliance with

20  subsection (3) and a notice of all applicable disclosure forms

21  and filing deadlines to each person required to file a

22  statement of financial interests.

23         (c)  Not later than 30 days after July 1 of each year,

24  the Secretary of State and each supervisor of elections shall

25  determine which persons required to file a statement of

26  financial interests in their respective offices have failed to

27  do so and shall send delinquency notices by certified mail to

28  such persons.  Each notice shall state that a grace period is

29  in effect until September 1 of the current year; that no

30  investigative or disciplinary action based upon the

31  delinquency will be taken by the agency head or Commission on

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  1  Ethics if the statement is filed by September 1 of the current

  2  year; that, if the statement is not filed by September 1 of

  3  the current year, he or she is required by law to notify the

  4  Commission on Ethics of the delinquency; and that, if upon the

  5  filing of a sworn complaint the commission finds that the

  6  person has failed to timely file the statement by September 1

  7  of the current year, such person shall be subject to the

  8  penalties provided in s. 112.317.

  9         (d)  Not later than 30 days following September 1 of

10  each year, the Secretary of State and the supervisor of

11  elections in each county shall certify to the Commission on

12  Ethics a list of the names and addresses of, and the offices

13  or positions held by, all persons who have failed to timely

14  file the required statements of financial interests.  The

15  certification shall be on a form prescribed by the commission

16  and shall indicate whether the respective certifying official

17  has provided the disclosure forms and notice as required by

18  this subsection to all persons named on the delinquency list.

19         (e)  Any state officer, local officer, or specified

20  employee whose name is not on the mailing list provided to the

21  Secretary of State or supervisor of elections is not subject

22  to the penalties provided in s. 112.317 for failure to timely

23  file a statement of financial interests in any year in which

24  the omission occurred.

25         (f)  The notification requirements of this subsection

26  do not apply to candidates or to the first filing required of

27  any state officer, specified employee, or local officer.

28         (g)  The commission shall include a statement

29  substantially as follows on the form prescribed by it for the

30  statement of financial interests: "In addition to the

31  requirement that you file this disclosure no later than July 1

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  1  of each year, you will be required to file a final disclosure

  2  within 60 days after you leave the position for which you are

  3  required to file this form, unless you are subject to one of

  4  the following exemptions: (1) within the 60-day period you

  5  take another public position requiring financial disclosure

  6  under s. 112.3145, Florida Statutes, or s. 8, Art. II of the

  7  State Constitution, or (2) you are otherwise required to file

  8  full and public disclosure or disclosure under s. 112.3145,

  9  Florida Statutes, for the final disclosure period. You may not

10  necessarily receive additional notice of this requirement."

11  The commission shall also prepare a separate explanation of

12  the final disclosure requirements. Any person required to give

13  notice of the final disclosure requirements may fulfill that

14  obligation by providing a copy of the explanation prepared by

15  the commission.

16         (7)(a)  The appointing official or body shall notify

17  each newly appointed local officer, state officer, or

18  specified state employee, not later than the date of

19  appointment, of the officer's or employee's duty to comply

20  with the disclosure requirements of this section. The agency

21  head of each employing agency shall notify each newly employed

22  local officer or specified state employee, not later than the

23  day of employment, of the officer's or employee's duty to

24  comply with the disclosure requirements of this section. The

25  appointing official or body or employing agency head may

26  designate a person to be responsible for the notification

27  requirements of this section.

28         (b)  The head of the agency of each local officer,

29  state officer, or specified state employee shall, within 30

30  days after leaving his or her public position, notify such

31  person of the officer's or employee's duty to file the final

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  1  disclosure. The agency head may designate a person to be

  2  responsible for the notification requirements of this

  3  paragraph. Each qualifying officer shall notify each candidate

  4  qualifying for election to office of the final disclosure

  5  requirements.

  6         (8)  A public officer who has filed a disclosure for

  7  any calendar or fiscal year shall not be required to file a

  8  second disclosure for the same year or any part thereof,

  9  notwithstanding any requirement of this act, except that any

10  public officer who qualifies as a candidate for public office

11  shall file a copy of the disclosure with the officer before

12  whom he or she qualifies as a candidate at the time of

13  qualification, and except for the final filing required by

14  paragraph (2)(b).

15         Section 3.  Section 112.3146, Florida Statutes, is

16  amended to read:

17         112.3146  Public records.--The statements required by

18  ss. 112.313, 112.3144, 112.3145, 112.3148, and 112.3149 shall

19  be public records within the meaning of s. 119.01.

20         Section 4.  Section 112.3147, Florida Statutes, is

21  amended to read:

22         112.3147  Forms.--All information required to be

23  furnished by ss. 112.313, 112.3143, 112.3144, 112.3145,

24  112.3148, and 112.3149 and by s. 8, Art. II of the State

25  Constitution shall be on forms prescribed by the Commission on

26  Ethics.

27         Section 5.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section

28  112.3148, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

29         112.3148  Reporting and prohibited receipt of gifts by

30  individuals filing full or limited public disclosure of

31  financial interests and by procurement employees.--

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  1         (2)  As used in this section:

  2         (d)  "Reporting individual" means any individual,

  3  including a candidate, who is required by law, pursuant to s.

  4  8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3145, to file

  5  full or limited public disclosure of his or her financial

  6  interests or any individual who has been elected to, but has

  7  yet to officially assume the responsibilities of, public

  8  office. For purposes of implementing this section, the

  9  "agency" of a reporting individual who is not an officer or

10  employee in public service is the agency to which the

11  candidate seeks election or, in the case of an individual

12  elected to but yet to formally take office, the agency in

13  which the individual has been elected to serve.

14         Section 6.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

15  law.

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