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HB0603 • 2026

Ethics for Public Employees

Ethics for Public Employees

Children Education Labor Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
López, J. ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Campbell ; Gerwig ; Valdés
Last action
2026-03-10
Official status
House - Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 572
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about updating laws regarding gifts given to district school board members and their relatives, which are not detailed in the official summary but seem to be covered under Section 2 of the bill text.

Ethics for Public Employees

This bill revises the definition of 'relative' to include foster parents and foster children in ethics rules for public employees.

What This Bill Does

  • Revises the definition of 'relative' to include foster parents and foster children.
  • Updates the law about gifts given to district school board members and their relatives.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public employees in Florida
  • Foster parents and foster children

Terms To Know

Relative
A person related by blood, marriage, adoption to a public employee or legally recognized foster parent or child.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the changes will be enforced.
  • It is unclear if there are any exceptions to the new definition of 'relative'.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

977841

Committee amendment H 603 Filed • Antone

Withdrawn Prior to Consideration 2/23/2026

Plain English: The amendment removes and replaces part of Section 3 in HB 603 to change how fines are assessed for late financial disclosures.

  • Removes and replaces paragraph (f) of subsection (8) in sections 112.3144 and 112.3145, Florida Statutes, concerning the assessment of fines for late filing of financial interests statements.
  • Specifies that a fine of $25 per day up to a maximum of $1,500 will be imposed on individuals who fail to file their disclosures on time.
  • Clarifies that this limit does not affect civil penalties if the statement is filed more than 60 days late and a complaint is made.
  • The amendment text was withdrawn prior to consideration, so its exact impact remains uncertain.
  • Some parts of the amendment are truncated or unclear in the provided document.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-10 House

    • Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 572

  2. 2026-02-24 House

    • Favorable by State Affairs Committee • Reported out of State Affairs Committee • Bill released to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar

  3. 2026-02-20 House

    • Added to State Affairs Committee agenda

  4. 2026-02-19 House

    • Favorable by Rules & Ethics Committee • Reported out of Rules & Ethics Committee • Now in State Affairs Committee

  5. 2026-02-17 House

    • Added to Rules & Ethics Committee agenda

  6. 2026-01-21 House

    • Favorable by Government Operations Subcommittee • Reported out of Government Operations Subcommittee • Now in Rules & Ethics Committee

  7. 2026-01-16 House

    • Added to Government Operations Subcommittee agenda

  8. 2026-01-13 House

    • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  9. 2025-12-12 House

    • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to Rules & Ethics Committee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee

  10. 2025-12-02 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Ethics for Public Employees; Revises definition of term "relative" to include foster parents & foster children.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB 603 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb603-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to ethics for public employees; 2
amending s. 112.312, F.S.; revising the definition of 3
the term "relative" to include foster parents and 4
foster children; reenacting s. 1001.421, F.S., 5
relating to gifts to district school board members, to 6
incorporate the amendment made to s. 112.312, F.S., in 7
a reference thereto; providing an effective date. 8
9
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10
11
Section 1. Subsection (21) of section 112.312, Florida 12
Statutes, is amended to read: 13
112.312 Definitions.—As used in this part and for purposes 14
of the provisions of s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution, 15
unless the context otherwise requires: 16
(21) "Relative," unless otherwise specified in this part, 17
means an individual who is related to a public officer or 18
employee as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, 19
uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-20
in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-21
law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, 22
stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half 23
sister, grandparent, great grandparent, grandchild, great 24
grandchild, step grandparent, step great grandparent, step 25

HB 603 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb603-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

grandchild, or step great grandchild; an individual who, while 26
the public officer or employee was a minor, was his or her 27
legally recognized foster parent in the jurisdiction where the 28
relationship occurred or an individual who is a current or 29
former legally recognized foster child of the public officer or 30
employee in the jurisdiction where the relationship occurs or 31
occurred; a, person who is engaged to be married to the public 32
officer or employee or who otherwise holds himself or herself 33
out as or is generally known as the person whom the public 34
officer or employee intends to marry or with whom the public 35
officer or employee intends to form a household;, or any other 36
natural person having the same legal residence as the public 37
officer or employee. 38
Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 39
made by this act to section 112.312, Florida Statutes, in a 40
reference thereto, section 1001.421, Florida Statutes, is 41
reenacted to read: 42
1001.421 Gifts.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law 43
to the contrary, district school board members and their 44
relatives, as defined in s. 112.312(21), may not directly or 45
indirectly solicit any gift, or directly or indirectly accept 46
any gift in excess of $50, from any person, vendor, potential 47
vendor, or other entity doing business with the school district. 48
The term "gift" has the same meaning as in s. 112.312(12). 49
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 50