Public commenter asks Palm Beach County ethics commission for help interpreting new state foreign-influence training requirement

A public commenter told the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics that a newly passed state law will require additional training for municipal officers to identify suspected foreign-influence campaigns.

“The state passed a law that requires additional training for the people who’ve got training, municipal officers … to identify known efforts by foreign countries of concern to target and influence some national governments, including but not limited to the Chinese Communist Party United Front strategy,” the public commenter said, and asked the commission and staff for resources from the university to support local training efforts.

The commenter also said the law increases penalties for accepting gifts from certain foreign governments and noted that foster parents and foster children were newly excluded from gift reporting requirements.

Commission members responded that the commission enforces the local code of ethics and that incorporation of new statewide training requirements would depend on state rulemaking and the commission’s jurisdiction. “We wouldn’t have to. It was just whatever’s under our jurisdiction on the code of ethics,” one commissioner said on the record. A commissioner who took part in the exchange said, “I’ll make sure our department contacts you,” indicating staff follow-up was planned.

The commenter told the commission the training requirement takes effect July 1 and asked that the commission help identify appropriate materials and trainers. Commissioners did not take formal action at the meeting; the exchange occurred during the public-comment portion and staff agreed to follow up with the commenter.

What happens next: staff indicated they would contact the commenter to discuss resources and possible training options. No formal rulemaking, amendment to the commission’s training materials, or timeline for a staff report was recorded in the meeting minutes.