5 Florida State Laws Taking Effect in 2024 That You Need To Know.
Although there are several more, these directly effect us in Palm Coast and Flagler County.
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SB-744: Enhanced Ethics Mandates for Public Officials
Local elected officials are obligated to reveal their financial transactions. This legislation has prompted a notable surge in resignations statewide, as numerous officials have chosen to step down. The mandate extends the current financial disclosure requirements already applicable to the governor, lawmakers, county commissioners, school board members, and sheriffs.
For Flagler County, Florida this means the new transparency law mandates full financial disclosure for local candidates.
In 2024, a forthcoming Florida transparency law will necessitate candidates running for local elected office in Flagler County and Florida to submit a comprehensive and publicly accessible disclosure at the time of qualification. Additionally, candidates will be required to provide their federal tax returns. This legislation, identified and introduced in 2023 as SB 774 and focusing on ethics requirements, is set to be enforced starting January 1, 2024
Under SB 774, sponsored by Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Lake Mary, candidates for specified local offices must submit a more detailed Form 6 financial disclosure, replacing the current Form 1 requirement. Form 6 imposes a heightened level of detail and reduces the reporting threshold for financial information.
Those Pushing Back. The new financial transparency SB 774 law has led some elected commissioners and council members in Florida to threaten resignation rather than release the required details, WPTV in West Palm Beach reported in December.
“I think that’s a complete invasion of your privacy,” Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Laura Danowski said.
State Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, who supports the bill, told the station:
“To those people who are contemplating resigning, or have resigned, I would have one simple question for them: ‘What is it that you are trying to hide? Or what is it that you don’t want your constituents to know?’ And I would posit that those are probably the very officials that this bill is designed to target.”
