The Cook County, Illinois Board of Commissioners passed a substitute ordinance amending the County Ethics Ordinance on December 16.

The substitute ordinance updates many sections of the ethics code and includes provisions acknowledging registration for lobbying in Cook County will only be filed with the state beginning on January 1, 2022.

The definition of official is amended include any individual elected or appointed to a county office, regardless of whether the individual official is compensated.

Contribution limits are increased for persons doing business with the county from $750 to $1,500 in a calendar year to any local, state, or federal political committee established in support of a candidate for county office or an elected county official.

Officials, employees, and board or commission appointees are prohibited from accepting employment for a period of 364 calendar days following their term of office or employment from any person if the official, employee, or appointee participated personally and substantially in the decision to award a contract with a value of more than $15,000.

The Henderson Nevada City Council has passed a new ethics ordinance. City employees will be limited to accept no more than $50 in meals or gifts per year from entities doing business with the city.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the ordinance additionally prohibits city employees from soliciting gifts and provides for penalties.

The ordinance does allow employees to accept tickets or admissions to charitable events or fundraisers if given prior approval.

CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND: Commissioners made the decision to pass an ethics ordinance required by the state after removing a key amendment Tuesday. The amendment would have included stricter campaign finance and reporting laws.

After debate, the commissioners elected to remove the amendment and take up campaign finance and reporting as a separate piece of legislation in the future. The ordinance, as passed, states that commissioners can only represent the county, prohibits gifts over $20, and requires lobbyist registrations to be filed by January 15th.

All counties, municipalities, and school districts are required by law to pass an ethics ordinance.

WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN:  Wayne County will have a comprehensive ethics ordinance in place within the next 90 days, according to Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak.

Commission attorneys are currently working on a draft of a Wayne County ethics ordinance. Hearings are expected in January, with final approval targeted for February.

The ordinance seeks to set enhanced standards of conduct for officials and employees and rules for disclosure designed to avoid conflicts of interest and improper business practices.

Potential loopholes in the recently passed Palm Beach County Ethics Ordinance have some lawmakers once again working on ethics legislation. The new ethics rules, which went into effect on May 1, 2010, require a financial benefit to result from prohibited conduct, but do not include other benefits derived which are not financial in nature.

A proposed revision is in the early stages of legislation. Since 2006, four county commissioners have resigned their positions to face criminal charges over their misuse of office. Despite the potential loopholes, commissioners still hope the ethics reforms which took effect earlier this year will result in ethical relief to the scandal-plagued county.

During a recent session of the council Rules Committee, the measure received unanimous support, with similar support expected before the full council at their Tuesday, October 12, 2010 meeting.

The new ordinance not only creates an independent ethics commission, but also provides for the operation of an ethics hotline and the mandatory ethics training of all consolidated government officials within 90 days of being elected. The ordinance, if passed, would reinstitute ethics features similar to the city’s originally chartered Code of Ethics, which was removed in the early 1970’s reportedly due to potential conflicts with a new statewide ethics law adopted by the Florida legislature which covered all public officials.

Photo of Jacksonville skyline by Jonathan Zander on Wikipedia.

Commissioners, their family members, and their staff will no longer be permitted to accept gifts from lobbyists registered with the county, employers of registered lobbyists, or vendors or contractors of the county. Commissioners will not be permitted to be employed as lobbyists or engage in lobbying activities before municipalities or other local government entities within the county.

Further, family members and office staff of a commissioner will not be permitted to lobby before the Board of County Commissioners or other local government entities within Broward County.