ARTICLE 2.4. Ethics Training [53234. - 53235.2.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 2.4.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 53234. Section 53234.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “Legislative body” has the same meaning as specified in Section 54952. (b) “Local agency” means a city, county, city and county, charter city, charter county, charter city and county, school district, county office of education, charter school, or special district. (c) “Local agency official” means any of the following: (1) A member of a local agency legislative body or an elected officer of a local agency who receives any type of compensation, salary, or stipend or reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. (2) A department head or other similar administrative officer of a local agency. (A) For a local educational agency, a “department head or other similar administrative officer” means the superintendent of a school district, the county superintendent of schools, or the chief administrator of a charter school. (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), a “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school. (3) An employee designated by a local agency governing body to receive the training specified under this article. (4) A member of the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the governing body of a charter school, whether or not that member receives any type of compensation, salary, or stipend or reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. (d) “Ethics laws” include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Laws relating to personal financial gain by public servants, including, but not limited to, laws prohibiting bribery and conflict-of-interest laws. (2) Laws relating to claiming perquisites of office, including, but not limited to, gift and travel restrictions, prohibitions against the use of public resources for personal or political purposes, prohibitions against gifts of public funds, mass mailing restrictions, and prohibitions against acceptance of free or discounted transportation by transportation companies. (3) Government transparency laws, including, but not limited to, financial interest disclosure requirements and open government laws. (4) Laws relating to fair processes, including, but not limited to, common law bias prohibitions, due process requirements, incompatible offices, competitive bidding requirements for public contracts, and disqualification from participating in decisions affecting family members.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 53235. Section 53235.

(a) (1) If a local agency provides any type of compensation, salary, or stipend to a member of a legislative body, or provides reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred by a member of a legislative body in the performance of official duties, then all local agency officials shall receive training in ethics pursuant to this article. (2) All local agency officials who are members of the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the governing body of a charter school shall receive training in ethics pursuant to this article, whether or not any member receives any type of compensation, salary, or stipend or reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. (b) Each local agency official shall receive at least two hours of training in general ethics principles and ethics laws relevant to the official’s public service every two years. (c) (1) The Fair Political Practices Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall create, maintain, and make available to local agency officials an ethics training course that satisfies the requirements of this section. (2) (A) If another entity develops curricula to satisfy the requirements of this section, the entity shall consult with the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Attorney General regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the proposed course content. (B) When reviewing any proposed course content developed by another entity, the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Attorney General shall not preclude the entity from also including local ethics policies in the curricula. (d) A local agency or an association of local agencies may offer one or more training courses, or sets of self-study materials with tests, to meet the requirements of this section. These courses may be taken at home, in-person, or online. (e) A provider of training courses to meet the requirements of this article shall provide participants with proof of participation to meet the requirements of Section 53235.2. (f) A local agency shall provide information on training available to meet the requirements of this article to its local officials at least once annually.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 53235.1. Section 53235.1.

(a) Each local agency official in local agency service as of January 1, 2006, except for officials whose term of office ends before January 9, 2007, shall receive the training required by subdivision (a) of Section 53235 before January 1, 2007. Thereafter, each local agency official shall receive the training required by subdivision (a) of Section 53235 at least once every two years. (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), each local agency official who commences service with a local agency on or after January 1, 2006, shall receive the training required by subdivision (a) of Section 53235 no later than one year from the first day of service with the local agency and each local agency official who commences service with a local agency on or after January 1, 2026, shall receive the training required by subdivision (a) of Section 53235 no later than six months from the first day of service with the local agency. Thereafter, each local agency official shall receive the training required by subdivision (a) of Section 53235 at least once every two years. (2) Each local agency official who, as of January 1, 2025, is a member of the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the governing body of a charter school, except for officials whose term of office ends before January 1, 2026, shall receive the training required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 53235 before January 1, 2026. Thereafter, each local agency official who is a member of the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the governing body of a charter school shall receive the training required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 53235 at least once every two years. (c) A local agency official who serves more than one local agency shall satisfy the requirements of this article once every two years without regard to the number of local agencies with which the official serves.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 53235.2. Section 53235.2.

(a) A local agency that provides the ethical training prescribed by this article shall maintain records indicating both of the following: (1) The dates that local officials satisfied the requirements of this article. (2) The entity that provided the training. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local agency shall maintain these records for at least five years after local officials receive the training. These records are public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1). (c) Commencing July 1, 2026, a local agency that maintains an internet website shall post on that website clear instructions and contact information for the purpose of requesting records required by this section.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026