State Agency Ethics Training

Article 12 of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the California Government Code requires specified ethics training for state agency personnel. Government Code Section 11146 provides definitions for the terms “state agency” and “filer.” This required ethics training applies to each member, officer, or designated employee of a state agency who is required to file a statement of economic interests because of the position he or she holds with the agency.

Government Code Section 11146.1 requires each state agency to offer at least semiannually to each of its filers an orientation course on the relevant ethics statutes and regulations that govern the official conduct of state officials. Section 11146.2 requires each state agency to maintain records indicating the specific attendees, each attendee’s job title, and dates of their attendance for each orientation course offered.

In addition, each state agency must hold these records for a period of not less than five years after each course is given, and these records are public records subject to inspection and copying consistent with the California Public Records Act.

Government Code Section 11146.3 requires each filer in a state agency to attend the required orientation course. This requirement does not apply to filers with a state agency who have taken an equivalent ethics orientation course through another state agency or the Legislature within the specified time periods.

In addition, state agencies may jointly conduct and filers from more than one state agency may jointly attend an orientation course as long as the course content is relevant to the official duties of the attending filers. Prior to conducting each orientation course, state agencies must consult with the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Attorney General regarding appropriate course content.