Highlights of the Ethics Code

1. The Ethics Code establishes, for the first time, aspirational goals for the conduct of city employees. It establishes proactive goals for the development of ethics in city government. Therefore, the concept is not just avoidance of criminal behavior but the creation of a government that has the trust and respect of its citizens.

2. The Ethics Code creates an Ethics Officer who will have duties to encourage compliance with the Code, coordinate ethics training and develop citywide programs for the attainment of the aspirational goals of the Code. Additionally, each city department will have an ethics officer.

3. The Code establishes ethics training for all city employees and the 'Ethics in Government Program' which is provided for elected officials.

4. The Code assembles all current ethics related ordinances into one location within the Jacksonville Ordinance Code for easy reference and training.

5. The Code incorporates existing state law provisions on financial disclosure and gifts and makes them applicable to additional categories of city employees, including all appointed employees.

6. The Code creates a new campaign ethics law for city employees.

7. The Code places restrictions on city employees who have other employment or interests which may cause a conflict of interest and requires all appointed employees to participate in official investigations.

8. The Code expands lobbying registration requirements to include those who lobby city officers or employees.

9. The Code expands the role of the Jacksonville Ethics Commission in monitoring compliance with training requirements and financial and gift disclosure reporting requirements.