THE BILL ITSELF
HB 603
Ethics for Public Employees
1
A bill to be entitled
2
An act relating to ethics for public employees;
3
amending s. 112.312, F.S.; revising the definition of
4
the term "relative" to include foster parents and
5
foster children; reenacting s. 1001.421, F.S.,
6
relating to gifts to district school board members, to
7
incorporate the amendment made to s. 112.312, F.S., in
8
a reference thereto; providing an effective date.
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
Section 1. Subsection (21) of section 112.312, Florida
13
Statutes, is amended to read:
14
112.312 Definitions.—As used in this part and for purposes
15
of the provisions of s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution,
16
unless the context otherwise requires:
17
(21) "Relative," unless otherwise specified in this part,
18
means an individual who is related to a public officer or
19
employee as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister,
20
uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-
21
in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-
22
law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson,
23
stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half
24
sister, grandparent, great grandparent, grandchild, great
25
grandchild, step grandparent, step great grandparent, step
26
grandchild, or step great grandchild; an individual who, while
27
the public officer or employee was a minor, was his or her
28
legally recognized foster parent in the jurisdiction where the
29
relationship occurred or an individual who is a current or
30
former legally recognized foster child of the public officer or
31
employee in the jurisdiction where the relationship occurs or
32
occurred; a, person who is engaged to be married to the public
33
officer or employee or who otherwise holds himself or herself
34
out as or is generally known as the person whom the public
35
officer or employee intends to marry or with whom the public
36
officer or employee intends to form a household;, or any other
37
natural person having the same legal residence as the public
38
officer or employee.
39
Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
40
made by this act to section 112.312, Florida Statutes, in a
41
reference thereto, section 1001.421, Florida Statutes, is
42
reenacted to read:
43
1001.421 Gifts.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law
44
to the contrary, district school board members and their
45
relatives, as defined in s. 112.312(21), may not directly or
46
indirectly solicit any gift, or directly or indirectly accept
47
any gift in excess of $50, from any person, vendor, potential
48
vendor, or other entity doing business with the school district.
49
The term "gift" has the same meaning as in s. 112.312(12).
50
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.