In 1990, voters in the City of Los Angeles approved the most comprehensive package of local governmental ethics reforms in the country. The goal was to help restore the public’s trust in government and the electoral process. As part of the reforms, an independent City Ethics Commission was created to administer and enforce City laws relating to governmental ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying.

The laws, themselves, can be viewed by clicking on the links below. For information about proposed amendments and other proposed legislation, please visit our policy page. For access to guidebooks and other publications that help explain the laws, please visit our publications page.

Measure R

• Full text of Measure R: Councilmember Term Limits Of Three Terms; City Lobbying, Campaign Finance and Ethics Laws
• Court Order (July 17, 2007)
• Lobbying Update--The Status of Proposition R

Governmental Ethics

• Municipal Code §§ 49.5.1 et seq.
• Los Angeles City Code of Ethics - Adopted by Council Resolution July 21, 1959

Campaign Finance

General:

• Charter § 470
• Municipal Code §§ 49.7.1 et seq.

Officeholder Accounts:

• Administrative Code § 24.10

Public Matching Funds:

• Charter § 471
• Municipal Code §§ 49.7.13 – 49.7.23
• Administrative Code § 24.5

LAUSD:

• Charter § 803

Lobbying

General:

• Municipal Code §§ 48.01 et seq.

Lobbying Neighborhood Councils:

• Municipal Code § 48.08.8

Commissions - Ban on Lobbyist Appointments:

• Charter § 501

Commission

Duties and Powers:

• Charter §§ 700 – 712

Opinions and Written Advice:

• Charter § 705
• Administrative Code § 24.1.1

Investigations and Enforcement:

• Charter § 706
• Administrative Code § 24.1.2
• Municipal Code § 49.5.19 (governmental ethics)
• Municipal Code §§ 49.7.28 (campaign finance)
• Municipal Code § 48.09 (lobbying)

Mayor's Directives

Information About Mayor Villaraigosa's Executive Directives on Ethics