TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Pamela Coleman, City Clerk Services Director
1. Subject
title
Adoption of Resolution No. 11710 designating certain City officials and employees required to complete Ethics Training and Fiscal and Financial Training pursuant to Government Code Sections 53234 et seq. and 53238 et seq. (Senate Bill 827, 2025)
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2. Summary
State law requires certain local agency officials and employees complete ethics training and, beginning January 1, 2026, fiscal and financial training. The proposed resolution designates City positions subject to these requirements pursuant to Government Code Sections 53234 et seq. and 53238 et seq.
Adoption of the proposed resolution will ensure compliance with State law and support ethical governance, fiscal accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 11710. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange designating certain officials and employees required to complete Ethics Training and Fiscal and Financial Training pursuant to Senate Bill 827 (2025).
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4. Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact associated with this action is expected to be minimal. The City will incur an annual subscription fee of approximately $1,000 for a training management platform used to provide approved required coursework, monitor compliance, and maintain and publish training records, in addition to employee time associated with completing the required training requirements.
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 2: Enhance Economic Development and Achieve Fiscal Sustainability
6. Discussion and Background
Background
California law requires certain local agency officials to complete periodic ethics training addressing conflicts of interest, use of public resources, transparency laws, and related topics. Senate Bill 827 (SB 827) expanded these requirements, effective January 1, 2026, to include department heads and similar administrative officers and shortened the deadline for new officials to complete initial ethics training from one year to six months after commencing service.
SB 827 also added Government Code Sections 53238 through 53238.3, requiring specified local agency officials to complete at least two hours of fiscal and financial training every two years. The fiscal and financial training requirement applies to members of legislative bodies, elected officials, certain appointed officials involved in budgeting or financial administration, local agency executives and similar administrative officers, as well as employees designated by the governing body.
The statute authorizes local agency governing bodies to designate employees who must complete the required training.
Discussion
To ensure compliance with State law and promote sound governance, transparency, and stewardship of public resources, staff recommend that the City Council designate the officials and employees identified in the attached resolution as subject to the ethics training and fiscal and financial training requirements.
Training records will be maintained in accordance with Government Code requirements and made available for public inspection as required by law.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Resolution No. 11710