STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR COUNCILORS

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. I, ch. 151, art. XI, div. 3

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-1130 General ethical considerations.

Sec. 151-1130. - General ethical considerations. (a) Purposes. Ethical standards for members of the city-county council are essential to maintaining public trust in the handling of public affairs of the city and county. The purpose of this article is to set forth those acts and actions that are incompatible with the best interests of the city and county by directing disclosure by councilors of private financial or other interests in matters affecting the city or county. By requiring ethics disclosures and providing a guide for ethical conduct, the council can promote the faith and confidence of its citizens in its government. (b) Duty to act in public interest. It is the duty of all councilors to act at all times in the best interest of the public and to avoid any appearance of acting in their own private interest. (c) Acknowledgment of part time councilors. It is recognized that service as a member of the city-county council is a part-time endeavor and that members of the city-county council are active in the community and elsewhere and that it is necessary that they maintain a livelihood and source of income apart from their council compensation. (d) Duty to disclose employment and material business interests. It is the duty of each councilor to disclose his or her employments and positions of control or ownership interests in businesses or civic organizations that have business relationships with, contracts with, or are funded by, the city or county. (G.O. 45, 2009, § 1; G.O. 98, 2015, § 5; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-1131 Conflicts of interest, voting.

Sec. 151-1131. - Conflicts of interest, voting. (a) Voting. This section establishes standards for determining when a councilor is disqualified from acting or may be permitted to abstain from acting in conflict of interest situations. (b) Actual conflicts of interest. (1) Defined. A councilor has an actual conflict of interest whenever the outcome of a vote on a matter before the council would either: a. Confer a direct material pecuniary benefit with a value in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) which would be received (i) by the councilor, the councilor's spouse or councilor's dependent children, or (ii) by any business in which the councilor, the councilor's spouse or councilor's dependent children have an interest that is required to be disclosed under section 151-1132, which benefit would be materially different from the benefits conferred generally on the public or the councilor's constituents; or b. Affect a private personal interest by either conferring any preference or causing any detriment to the councilor, the councilor's business, or councilor's family which would be different from that which would apply to the public or the councilor's constituents generally. A councilor, who is also an employee of an agency whose budget is subject to approval by the city-county council, shall not be deemed to have an actual conflict of interest either: (i) with respect to votes on budgets or revenue proposals, unless the proposal pertains primarily to such employee or the employee's supervisor, or (ii) with respect to votes on proposals setting the compensation of councilors. (2) Disclosure of actual conflicts. As soon as it becomes apparent that a councilor has an actual conflict of interest with respect to a matter before the council, the councilor shall immediately disclose the conflict and thereafter not participate in the debate. (3) Disqualification from voting. A councilor with an actual conflict of interest shall be disqualified from voting on the matter. (c) Appearance of a conflict of interest. (1) Voluntary abstention. Whenever a personal relationship, business interest, or civic involvement of a councilor (other than those relationships inherent in the political process and in advocating constituent concerns) is such that it might appear to limit the councilor's objectivity on the merits of the councilor's vote, the councilor may request to abstain from voting on such matter. The abstention shall be allowed, unless the abstention prevents the council from deciding the matter, in which circumstances the council by a majority vote of those voting may require the councilor to vote. A vote under such circumstances shall not be grounds for ethical complaints against such councilor. (2) Debate and disclosure. The appearance of a conflict of interest shall not disqualify a councilor from debate on the matter if the nature of the perceived conflict of interest is disclosed as soon as it becomes apparent to the councilor. (G.O. 45, 2009, § 1; G.O. 98, 2015, § 5; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-1132 Ethics disclosure.

Sec. 151-1132. - Ethics disclosure. (a) All councilors shall file with the clerk of the council an ethics disclosure statement on or before July 1, 2009, and thereafter annually, on or before February 1, or within thirty (30) days of taking office. (b) Any person filing as a candidate for office of city-county councilor, who has not filed, during the current calendar year, an ethics disclosure statement under this section, shall file an ethics disclosure statement under this section before, or at the same time as, filing a declaration of candidacy under IC 3-8-2, a petition of nominations under IC 3-8-6 or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under IC 3-8-2-2.5. (c) An ethics disclosure statement required under this section shall include the following information: (1) The name and business address(es) of the councilor. (2) The names, addresses, and dates of hire of all employers from whom the councilor received compensation during the prior calendar year, and if self-employed, the nature of the business or businesses conducted as self-employment and the name or names, if any, under which the business or businesses are conducted. (3) The amount of funds, in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), each of the councilor's employer(s) received from the Consolidated City of Indianapolis-Marion County during the prior calendar year rounded to the nearest five thousand dollars ($5,000.00). (i) The list of "funds" shall include, but not be limited to any incentives the employer may have received such as tax abatements or PILOTs and any contracts entered into directly by the Councilor or the employer. The term "funds" does not include the amount associated with a property tax appeal heard before PTABOA. (ii) For "funds" where the monetary value may not be directly ascertainable, the councilor shall have the employer provide identifiable information that will provide the committee with the department the agreement is with, the date of the agreement, and a brief description of the incentive or funds anticipated. (iii) Council staff shall provide a separate form for employers to use if that employer has multiple agreements with the different departments and agencies in the consolidated city-county. (4) The name and addresses of all employers from whom the councilor's spouse or councilor's dependent children received compensation in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) during the prior calendar year. (5) The name and address of any business entity, doing business with the city or county, or which solicits doing business with the city or county, in which the councilor, the councilor's spouse or a councilor's dependent child: (i) Is an officer; or (ii) Owns an equity interest or interest in the earnings and profits of such business that, individually or in the aggregate, exceeds ten (10) percent; or (iii) Directly or indirectly received compensation in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), in aggregate from any one such entity, in the past calendar year. (6) The name and address of any organization which receives or applies for funding from the city or county for which the councilor, councilor's spouse or a councilor's dependent child serves as an officer or board member. (7) A list of those persons or firms from which the councilor received gifts, or any other item, valued over one hundred dollars ($100.00), or in aggregate over two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), in the prior calendar year if such person or firm does, or seeks to do, business with the city or county or seeks to influence council action. Campaign donations, subject to IC 3-9-2 and reported in accordance with law, and gifts from persons, including family members, with whom the councilor has an on going social relationship not related to service on the council, are not subject to reporting under this provision. (8) Any items reported under clauses (1) through (4) of this subsection shall be updated within forty-five (45) days of the change of such information. (d) The clerk of the council, with assistance of the general counsel, shall prescribe a form for these disclosures. Such statement shall be verified under penalties for perjury. The clerk shall report any failures to file an ethics disclosure statement to the ethics committee of the council for such action as that committee may deem appropriate. (e) The clerk of the council shall post each ethic disclosure form on the council's website by March 1 of each year. (G.O. 45, 2009, § 1; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1; G.O. 35, 2024, § 1; G.O. 42, 2026, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-1133 Clerk and council staff.

Sec. 151-1133. - Clerk and council staff. The clerk of the council and other employees or staff of the council shall file such disclosures, if any, as the president of the council shall require. (G.O. 45, 2009, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-1134 Specific conduct prohibited.

Sec. 151-1134. - Specific conduct prohibited. (a) Political activity, patronage. Councilors shall not require any council employee to engage in political activity or contribute to any political campaign. (b) Use of council property. Councilors shall not use council equipment or supplies for personal, political, or private business purposes. (c) Travel to conferences. No councilor shall accept reimbursement for travel, meals or lodging expenses related to municipal conferences unless the councilor attends two (2) hours or more of meetings or official functions per half-day. (G.O. 45, 2009, § 1; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIORAD_CH151CIUNCO_ARTXIETCOCO_DIV3STETCOCOFetched: 10/27/2026