Did Your Agency Meet SB 827’s July 1 Website Deadline? Understanding the New Training Obligations for Local Agency Officials

July 1 marked the deadline for local agencies to comply with Senate Bill 827’s (“SB 827’s”) new website requirement. Under the law, agencies that maintain websites must post instructions and contact information for requesting certain ethics and financial training records. Although the website requirement took effect in July, SB 827’s related training requirements took effect on January 1, 2026. This post explains the new website requirement and reviews the training requirements connected to those records.

New Website Requirement Began July 1

Local agencies that provide required ethics training must keep records showing when officials completed the training and who provided it. Agencies must keep these records for at least five years. The California Public Records Act treats the records as public records subject to disclosure.

Beginning July 1, 2026, local agencies that maintain websites must post clear instructions and contact information for requesting the records. Cities, counties, and special districts must provide the same information for fiscal and financial training records.

SB 827 does not require agencies to post the records or training certificates online. It only requires them to explain how the public can request the records and whom to contact.

Ethics Training Now Covers More Officials

The Government Code already required certain local agency officials to complete at least two hours of ethics training every two years. Generally, the requirement applies when a local agency compensates or reimburses a member of its legislative body. School district, county board of education, and charter school governing board members must complete the training regardless of compensation or reimbursement.

Effective January 1, 2026, SB 827 amended the definition of “local agency official” to include department heads and similar administrative officers. For school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, this category means the district superintendent, county superintendent of schools, or charter school’s chief administrator.

The training covers conflicts of interest, gifts, use of public resources, government transparency, fair decision-making, and other ethics rules. SB 827 also shortened the initial training deadline for officials who begin service on or after January 1, 2026, from one year to six months. After completing the initial training, officials must repeat it every two years.

New Financial Training Applies to Cities, Counties, and Special Districts

Effective January 1, 2026, SB 827 created a new fiscal and financial training requirement for officials of cities, counties, and special districts. The requirement does not apply to school districts, county offices of education, or charter schools.

The law covers elected officers, legislative body members, agency executives, and similar administrative officers. It also covers officials whom the governing body appoints to make or recommend decisions about financial administration, budgets, or public resources, as well as employees whom the governing body designates.

Each covered official must complete at least two hours of training on topics such as budgeting, financial reporting, auditing, capital financing, debt management, pensions, investments, fiscal planning, procurement, contracting, and safeguarding public resources.

An agency or association of agencies may contract or collaborate with a provider to offer courses or self-study materials with tests. Participants may take the training in person or online. Training courses and materials must draw on input from recognized local government finance experts (which includes local government associations) and providers must give participants proof of participation. Agencies must also provide covered officials with information about available training at least once each year.

Financial Training Deadlines

Government Code section 53238.2 sets the deadline based on when the official began service:

• An official who began service before January 1, 2026, and remained in service on that date must complete the first training before January 1, 2028, unless the official’s term ends before January 9, 2028.
• An official who begins service on or after January 1, 2026, must complete the first training within six months.

After the first training, officials must repeat it every two years. An official who serves more than one agency only needs to complete the training once every two years but must provide proof of participation to each agency. Government Code section 53238.4 exempts certain county officials who satisfy separate continuing education requirements.

Next Steps for Agencies

Local agencies can take the following steps:

• Confirm that the agency’s website includes instructions and contact information for requesting applicable training records.
• Identify the officials who must complete ethics training and, for cities, counties, and special districts, fiscal and financial training.
• Determine each official’s deadline based on the date the official began service.
• Provide covered officials with information about available training at least once each year.
• Keep records showing when each official completed the training and who provided it for at least five years.

(SB 827 amended Government Code sections 53234, 53235.1, and 53235.2 and added Article 2.4.6 (commencing with section 53238) to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.)

Tags: “Ethics Training”, “Fiscal and Financial Training”, “Local Agency Officials”, “Public Agencies”, SB 827, Website