The Ethics Commission was created in 1996 as a result of a citizens' vote to amend the Home Rule charter. It is an independent agency with advisory and quasi-judicial powers. It is composed of five members, each serving staggered terms of four years at a time. The Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit appoints two of the members; the Dean of the University of Miami School of Law and the Dean of St. Thomas University School of Law share in the appointment of one member; the Director of Florida International University’s Center for Labor Research and Studies and the Miami-Dade League of Cities each appoints one member.

Government employees and officials have a special duty to serve the public in a fair and just manner. The Ethics Commission is dedicated to bolstering public trust in the administration of government by informing the public and private sectors about the laws and seeking strict compliance with them.  It is empowered to subpoena, audit, and investigate all facts and persons materially related to a complaint at issue.

The Commission’s jurisdiction extends to the municipalities of Miami-Dade County provided the subject is covered by one of the ordinances under its authority:

• The Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance
• The Citizen’s Bill of Rights
• The Ethical Campaign Practices Ordinance
• The Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund Ordinance

Another important area of responsibility involves advice-giving.  Each year several hundred local government officials and employees seek legal opinions from the Ethics Commission to establish the standard of public duty they should exercise. All of these opinions are posted on the Ethics Commission’s website.

The Ethics commission is committed to public education, training and community outreach. This responsibility is discharged in a variety of settings including training sessions and workshops for government personnel, to conference and seminars on topics of interest in the community.