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SB 572FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Chapter No. 2026-22
High Impact

New Ethics Rules for Public Officials and Employees

Original title: Ethics for Public Officers and Employees

November 18, 2025

ethicspublic employmentnepotismcampaign financegovernment transparencyelectors and electionsjudicial branchkpublic businesspublic officers, employees, and records

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Where This Stands

Currently Chapter No. 2026-22. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

21 actions
  1. Feb 11, 2026House
    In Messages
  2. Feb 11, 2026Senate
    Immediately certified
  3. Feb 11, 2026SenateFloor
    CS passed as amended; YEAS 38 NAYS 0
  4. Feb 11, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 3rd time
  5. Feb 11, 2026Senate
    Amendment(s) adopted (807008)
  6. Feb 11, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 2nd time
Show 15 earlier actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026Senate
    Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/11/26
  2. Feb 3, 2026Senate
    Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  3. Feb 3, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 23 NAYS 0
  4. Jan 29, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/03/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
  5. Jan 29, 2026Senate
    CS by Governmental Oversight and Accountability read 1st time
  6. Jan 28, 2026Senate
    Now in Rules
  7. Jan 27, 2026Senate
    Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
  8. Jan 26, 2026Senate
    CS by Governmental Oversight and Accountability; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
  9. Jan 21, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Governmental Oversight and Accountability, 01/26/26, 3:30 pm, 110 Senate Building
  10. Jan 14, 2026Senate
    Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
  11. Jan 13, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced
  12. Jan 13, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable by Ethics and Elections; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
  13. Jan 8, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Ethics and Elections, 01/13/26, 4:00 pm, 37 Senate Building
  14. Dec 9, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Ethics and Elections; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Rules
  15. Nov 18, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The law changes who is considered a '' for conflict-of-interest and anti-nepotism rules, directly affecting hiring and appointment practices for public boards, school districts, and state-affiliated organizations.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Public officers and employees

Must comply with updated definitions of 'relative' and new disclosure requirements.

Greater Miami Expressway Agency personnel

Subject to new lobbying restrictions, conflict-of-interest disclosures, and post-employment rules.

District school board members

Prohibited from appointing relatives to positions under their direct supervision and restricted on gift acceptance.

What changed

Last recorded activity November 18, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This law updates ethics rules for public officials by expanding the definition of '' to include foster family members and clarifying when elected officials can appoint relatives to leadership roles on the same board. It also updates various state statutes to ensure these ethics standards apply consistently across numerous government agencies and boards.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this law allow me to hire my relative for a government job?
Generally, no. The law maintains anti-nepotism restrictions, though it clarifies that elected officials on the same board can appoint each other to leadership roles within that specific board.
Are foster family members now considered relatives under ethics laws?
Yes, the law expands the definition of '' to include current or former legally recognized foster parents and foster children.
What are the gift limits for school board members?
School board members and their s are prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts worth more than $50 from any person or entity doing business with the school district.

Why It Matters

The law changes who is considered a '' for conflict-of-interest and anti-nepotism rules, directly affecting hiring and appointment practices for public boards, school districts, and state-affiliated organizations.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededsenate2/11/2026Official roll call ↗

Third Reading

Total

44

Yes

42

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

2

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate2/3/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

28

Yes

27

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate1/26/2026legiscanOfficial roll call ↗

Favorable with Committee Substitute

Total

9

Yes

9

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate1/13/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

8

Yes

8

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Full roll-call analysis →

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Expansion of Anti-Nepotism Definitions

The law explicitly incorporates foster family relationships into the state's ethics framework, closing a gap in the previous definition of 'relative'.

Florida Legislature

Connected Entities

organizationEthics and Elections“Initial referral committee.”Map →
organizationRules“The bill was reviewed and ultimately passed by the Rules Committee.”Map →
other412“Number of attendees at meeting”Map →
locationKnott Building“Meeting location on 2026-01-29”Map →
organizationGovernmental Oversight and Accountability“Multiple committees reviewed and acted upon the bill.”Map →
locationSenate Building“Meeting location on 2026-01-08”Map →
other37“Number of attendees at meeting”Map →
other38“Number of votes in favor”Map →
other110“Number of attendees at meeting”Map →
dollar_amount807008“Amendment amount”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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