About the Ethics Commission

The Los Angeles County Ethics Commission is a seven-member body that oversees and enforces County laws governing campaign finance, lobbying, conflicts of interest and governmental ethics. The Commission adopts rules and penalty guidelines, issues formal opinions, and decides enforcement cases, including whether a violation occurred and what penalty applies. It is supported by the Office of Ethics Compliance, which carries out the Commission's day-to-day work.

The Commission's seven members are nominated by different authorities so that no single official controls its membership. One member is nominated by the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, one by the Assessor, and one by the Governance Reform Task Force (beginning January 1, 2029, by the elected County Executive). The remaining four are nominated by the Commission itself at a public meeting, following a public recruitment and application process. They must be broadly representative of the public, and at least one must live in an unincorporated area of the County.

Within 45 days of a nomination, the Board of Supervisors schedules a vote to appoint or reject the nominee. Commissioners serve staggered five-year terms that begin July 1 and end June 30. A member who has served a full term may not be reappointed. Commissioners receive $250 per meeting and are reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

Commissioners exercise their own judgment and do not represent the official who nominated them. A commissioner may be removed only for cause. The eligibility rules and the restrictions that apply during and after service are explained under How Commissioners Are Selected.