Florida’s financial disclosure season is now underway
This is the first full year of mandatory electronic filing for Form 6 filers
Each year, a number of state and local public officers and employees receive automatic fines because they file their annual financial disclosure forms late or not at all.
Because many lawyers are officials who must file or serve as advisors to officials or boards whose members are required to file, it is important to note some significant changes related to filing financial disclosure this year.
This is the first full year of mandatory electronic filing for Form 6 filers. The required notice of the filing requirement as well as invitations to register in EFDMS have been emailed to all Form 6 filers. Officials who file Form 6 are encouraged to log into the Electronic Financial Disclosure Management System (EFDMS) and file as soon as possible, rather than waiting to file until just before July 3 filing deadline. Bar members who serve as counsel to constitutional officers are asked to encourage them to log in and file early. Expect longer wait times for assistance as the deadline approaches.
The new system walks the filer through the various sections of the Form 6 disclosure with a question and answer process. There are also helpful pop-outs throughout the form and searchable FAQs for filers to find the answers to the most common Form 6 questions. Full instructions are also available to filers in the system.
Filers have various options for completing the electronic form. They can type information into the fields, adding as many fields as needed, or they can choose to attach PDF documents to their disclosure.
Legislation was recently signed into law by the Gov. Ron DeSantis that allows filers to include a copy of their tax return as a way to complete the income part of the form.
A registration link for a live webinar on May 23 or June 7 was included in a recent email to Form 6 filers. The webinars will provide an overview of EFDMS.
The Form 1 remains a paper form this year with state filers filing with the Commission on Ethics and local filers with the Supervisors of Elections. Electronic filing for Form 1 will launch in 2024.
Whether you are a Form 6 or Form 1 filer, you can check the Commission’s website at www.ethics.state.fl.us to see whether a form has been received.
