In California, state and federal laws create a complex set of requirements laws that guide elected officials and agency staff in their service to their communities. As extensive and complex as these laws are, it is important to remember ethics laws only constitute minimum standards for officials’ conduct. The law is a floor for public official conduct, not a ceiling: just because a particular course of action is legal does not mean it is ethical. The California State Association of Counties and the Institute for Local Government partnered to create this resource