Click here to find all of Chapter 602, the Jacksonville Ethics Code

Sec. 602.903. Duties and powers.

            (a)   (1)   Every City officer, candidate for City office, or City employee when in doubt about the applicability and interpretation of any City ethics law to himself or herself in a particular context, may submit in writing the facts of the situation to the Commission with a request for an advisory opinion to establish the standard of public duty. Any officer or employee who has the power to hire or terminate employees may likewise seek an advisory opinion from the Commission as to the application of the provisions of the ethics laws to any such employee or applicant for employment. An advisory opinion shall be rendered by the Commission, and each such opinion shall be numbered, dated and published.

                        (2)   Such opinion, until amended or revoked, shall be binding on the conduct of the officer, employee, or candidate who sought the opinion or with references to whom the opinion was sought, unless material facts were omitted or misstated in the request for the advisory opinion.

             (b)   The Commission is authorized to call upon appropriate agencies of City government for such professional assistance as may be needed in the discharge of its duties. The General Counsel shall provide legal and staffing assistance to the Commission.

            (c)   The Commission shall assist in the preparation of materials and programs designed to assist persons in complying with the ethics laws. The Commission shall work with the City Ethics Officer(s) and the City's Ethics Office in establishing, presenting, and expanding the City's Ethics Education Program as set forth in Section 602.1001.

            (d)   The Commission may, upon employee or citizen complaint, or upon its own initiative, seek information and gather facts for the purpose of investigating any circumstance or situation of which the Commission may become aware that appears to violate or may potentially violate an acceptable standard of conduct for City officers and employees. As a result of such investigation, the Commission may issue public censures, recommend disciplinary action, determines the need for remedial or preventative legislation, and make such recommendations to the Mayor and the Council as it deems appropriate.

            (e)   It shall be the further duty of the commission to submit to the Council annually a report of its work and recommendations for legislation deemed necessary to improve the ethics laws and their enforcement which shall be dutifully considered by the Council.

            (f)   The Jacksonville Ethics Commission shall be responsible for documenting compliance with the financial disclosure, gift disclosure and ethics education and certification requirements of this Code for all officers and appointed employees.

                        (1)   The Jacksonville Ethics Commission, through the city's Ethics Office, shall report annually the compliance or noncompliance with financial reporting, gift reporting, and ethics education and certification requirements of this Code. The annual report shall be filed with the Mayor, City Council President, City Ethics Officer and the Human Resources Director.

                        (2)   At the close of the reporting period, the Jacksonville Ethics Commission, through the city's Ethics Office, shall notify any individual who has failed to timely comply with financial disclosure, gift disclosure, or ethics education and certification requirements of this Code and allow the individual an additional 90 days to comply with these requirements. After expiration of this additional period, the Ethics Commission may issue a written or oral reprimand of noncompliance.

(g)       The Ethics Commission, in coordination with the Ethics Office, is authorized to receive, and may investigate and issue findings with regard to any complaint alleging a violation of this Chapter.  All complaints and records shall be confidential as allowed by Section 112.324, Florida Statutes.  In support of this power, the Ethics Commission, in coordination with the Ethics Office, is authorized to establish an ethics "hotline" to receive tips and complaints, each of which shall be treated as a complaint with its related confidentiality as authorized by Florida law.  The General Counsel, with the assistance of all appropriate and available offices of the City, shall assist the Ethics Commission and Ethics Office in the investigation of complaints.  The Ethics Commission may refer matters brought to its attention to the State Attorneys' Office or the Florida Commission on Ethics if it determines jurisdiction is vested in, and action is more appropriate if taken by said agencies.