City of San Antonio Ethics Code

REQUESTING ADVISORY OPINIONS

Current City Employees or Officials:  If you are currently employed by the City of San Antonio or serve as an elected official or appointed board or commission member, you may request an advisory opinion regarding the application of the Ethics Code from the City Attorney’s Office. (See below).   You may view prior advisory opinions from the City Attorney’s Office by clicking here:   View City Attorney Advisory Opinions.

 Citizens and Former City Employees or Officials:   If you do not currently serve as an official or employee of the City of San Antonio, you may request an advisory opinion regarding the application of the Ethics Code from the City’s Ethics Review Board.   Former officials and employees may also seek an advisory opinion from the board.  (See below).    You may view prior advisory opinions from the Ethics Review Board by clicking here:   View Ethics Review Board Opinions.

 Please Note:  A person cannot obtain an advisory opinion regarding the application of the code to another person. If you have a concern that another individual has violated the Ethics Code, you may consider, after reviewing the Ethics Code, whether it would be appropriate to file an ethics complaint.

For Current Officials and Employees of the City:

 Requesting Advisory Opinions from the City Attorney’s Office

By a written request filed with the Office of the City Attorney, any city official or employee may request an advisory opinion with respect to whether proposed action by that person would violate the ethics laws.  

A person who reasonably and in good faith acts in accordance with an advisory opinion issued by the Ethics Compliance Officer may not be found to have violated the ethics laws by engaging in conduct approved in the advisory opinion, provided that: 

(1) he or she requested the issuance of the opinion; 

(2) the request for the opinion fairly and accurately disclosed all relevant facts; and 

(3) less than five years elapsed between the date of the opinion was issued and the date of the conduct in question. 

You may send a written request for opinion to Helen Valkavich by:

Email:               helenv@sanantonio.gov

Mail:                 Helen Valkavich

                        Office of the City Attorney

                        City Hall – P.O. Box 839966

                        San Antonio, Texas  78283-3966

The advisory opinions are posted on the city Web page, in a manner that does not reveal the identity of the person making the inquiry. You may call Helen Valkavich at the City Attorney’s Office at 207-8940 if you have questions or need additional information.

For Individuals who are not Officials or Employees

of the City,  and for Former Officials or Employees of the City:

 Requesting Advisory Opinions from the Ethics Review Board

By a written request filed with the City Clerk, any person, except a current city official or city employee, may request an advisory opinion for an interpretation of the ethics laws, but only with respect to whether proposed action by that person would violate the ethics laws.  

You may send a written request for opinion to the Ethics Review Board through the Office of the City Clerk by:

Email:               rosalinda.diaz@sanantonio.gov

Mail:                 Ethics Review Board

                        c/o Rosalinda Diaz

                        Office of the City Clerk

                        City Hall – P.O. Box 839966

                        San Antonio, Texas  78283-3966

The Ethics Review Board opinions are posted on the city Web page, in a manner that does not reveal the identity of the person making the inquiry. You may call Rosalinda Diaz at the City Clerk’s Office at 207-7021 if you have questions or need additional information.