Commission on Ethics approves report of intended rule‑review actions under new statute

The Florida Commission on Ethics approved on Dec. 18 the staff's summary of intended agency action required by the administrative procedure changes in section 120.5435, which directs state agencies to review their rules on a five‑year schedule.

Staff attorney Amelia Naomi told commissioners the commission currently maintains 188 rules and this year's review covered 44 rules under rule chapters 34‑5 and 34‑17. Naomi said the staff recommends primarily technical updates: correct statutory and constitutional citations, remove language that duplicates ethics statutes, change references from "party" to "respondent" where appropriate, remove obsolete investigatory language that lacks statutory authority and update referral options and numbering to reflect current practice.

The commission was reminded this meeting was not a rule‑making hearing; staff is authorized only to submit the initial summary to the Senate president, House speaker and the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee by Jan. 1, as required. Naomi said next year the commission will propose precise rule language (the coded changes) for any recommended revisions and will request approval for those text changes at that later stage.

A commissioner asked whether the statute includes an express directive to reduce regulatory burden; Naomi said the statute sets seven specific factors for review and does not itself impose an additional "reduce rules" directive, but the agency remains free to pursue rulemaking outside the review if commissioners desire.

After discussion a motion to authorize submission of the summary was moved, seconded and approved by unanimous roll call. The chair thanked staff and adjourned the meeting after holiday remarks.