What is the purpose of filing disclosure forms?
Financial disclosure is required of public officials and employees because it enables the public to evaluate potential conflicts of interest, deters corruption, and increases public confidence in government.
Who must file disclosure?
All elected state and local public officers are required to file a financial disclosure form and many appointed board members also must file. There are certain state and local employees who are also subject to the disclosure filing requirement because of the position they hold or because they have purchasing authority that exceeds $35,000. [See Sections 112.3144 and 112.3145, Florida Statutes]
General Information about Filing Financial Disclosure
You can find information about financial disclosure in the Commission's publication A Guide to the Sunshine Amendment and Code of Ethics. The Commission's rules on financial disclosure can be found here. The Commission's opinions and orders regarding the financial disclosure law can be researched here. A summary of the Commission's most significant opinions dealing with financial disclosure can be found here. Detailed instructions for completing the disclosure forms are contained on each form, which can be found here.
For assistance with financial disclosure, you may wish to contact the Commission's Financial Disclosure Coordinator, Kimberly Holmes, at disclosure@leg.state.fl.us. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this agency. Instead, contact us by phone or in writing.
Financial Disclosure Forms
Clicking here will take you to a list of the forms needed to file the disclosures required by the ethics laws. From that page you can view or print any forms you may need, and read descriptions of who has to file which forms, what deadlines may apply, and what information must be reported.
Financial Disclosure Coordinator Information
Each year, the Florida Commission on Ethics prepares the list of persons holding governmental positions who are required to file financial disclosure for the previous year. The Commission obtains the name and address of each of these persons from coordinators who have been designated from each State and local government agency.
Automatic Fines for Failure to File Disclosure on Time
Financial disclosure is due July 1 of each year for the preceding calendar year. A grace period is in effect until September 1. If the disclosure is not filed or postmarked by September 1, an automatic fine of $25 per day will begin to accrue, and will continue to build until the disclosure is filed, or the fine reaches $1,500. Fines may be appealed to the Commission, which can waive or reduce the fine, if unusual circumstances prevented the filer from filing on time.
Clicking here will take you to a sample appeal form which may be downloaded and filed with the Commission to appeal an automatic fine for failure to timely file financial disclosure. You are not required to use this form when appealing a fine; it is provided for your convenience.
An automatic fine for failure to timely file financial disclosure can be paid online with a credit card and by clicking here. Unpaid fines may be recovered through salary withholding, wage garnishment, or referral to a collection agency. In addition, failure to file can result in removal from office or employment.
