Horvath Moves to Establish County’s First Independent Ethics Commission
LA County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (D-Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Pacoima, Panorama City) is bringing forward a motion at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting that would set in motion the establishment of Los Angeles County’s first independent Ethics Commission — a historic governance milestone required by Measure G, the sweeping charter reform measure voters approved in November 2024.
Measure G, championed by Horvath, mandated three major structural changes to county government: an independent Ethics Commission by 2026, the election of a county executive in 2028, and the expansion of the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members starting in 2032.
Horvath co-authored the measure with Supervisor Janice Hahn and pushed it onto the November 2024 ballot after the Board moved too slowly on its own governance study.
The motion directs county departments to identify existing ethics-related positions and funding within 14 days, instructs the Interim CEO to allocate funding in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget to establish the commission’s first phase, and directs County Counsel to draft a formal ordinance — to be placed on the June 30 Board agenda — establishing the Ethics Commission and Office of Ethics Compliance.
Horvath is widely viewed in political and media circles as a strong candidate for the first elected county chief executive race in 2028 — a position she helped create through Measure G — and she would not need to give up her supervisor seat to run.
Solis, Horvath Move to Shield Election Workers From Federal Prosecution
LA County Supervisor Chair Hilda L. Solis (D-Downtown LA, East LA, Pico-Union, Boyle Heights, El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Pomona) and Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (D-Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Pacoima, Panorama City) are jointly bringing forward a motion at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting that would authorize the county to provide legal defense for election workers and sue the federal government if it interferes with either of California’s two major 2026 elections.
The motion declares it is in the county’s best interest to defend any county election employee charged with federal criminal offenses arising from administering the June 2, 2026 primary or the November 3, 2026 general election.
It also authorizes County Counsel to initiate, join, or support litigation — including amicus filings — against the federal government for any interference or disruption with either election.
The motion arrives as the Trump administration has taken an aggressive posture toward local election administration nationwide, raising concerns among California officials about potential federal interference with state and local election operations.
No specific federal action against LA County election workers has been publicly reported, but the Board is moving preemptively to put legal protections in place before both elections.
Board Set to Name Nicchitta Permanent County CEO at $565K
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today is expected to formally appoint Joseph M. Nicchitta as the county’s permanent Chief Executive Officer at an annual salary of $565,000 — ending a months-long interim period that began last October.
Nicchitta has been serving as acting CEO since longtime CEO Fesia Davenport suddenly went on leave in October 2025, stepping into the role from his position as the county’s chief operating officer and chief deputy CEO.
The CEO position oversees the county’s roughly $50 billion budget and manages labor relations with more than 100,000 county employees. A long-tenured county official, Nicchitta’s career spans the County Counsel’s office, the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs — where he served as director — and the Chief Executive Office, where he rose to the No. 2 position before taking on the interim role.
Nicchitta, if confirmed today, could be the last appointed CEO in Los Angeles County history. As mandated through Measure G, the position will be filled by voters starting with the 2028 election.
Schiavo’s 15-Bill Legislative Package Clears Appropriations, Heads to Assembly Floor
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch) announced last week that seven additional bills in her 2026 legislative package cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee, bringing to 15 the total number of her bills continuing through the legislative process.
Among the bills that stand out is The Stop the Scams Act (AB 2674), which would require banks to implement fraud prevention measures and intervene in suspicious transactions to protect consumers; and The Protect Small Business from Predatory Lending Act (AB 2116), which would establish clear rules and oversight for lenders to protect small businesses from unfair financing practices.
Additional measures include the Human Trafficking Victim Support Act (AB 2720), which would require law enforcement agencies to have specially trained victim support coordinators available to assist survivors. And AB 2545 would examine the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and the future workforce as California braces for potential seismic shifts in the labor market.
“At a time when families are being squeezed by rising costs, delays, and uncertainty, we are delivering on solutions to meet the needs of our community,” Schiavo said. “I’m proud that these bills have cleared another major hurdle and are now headed to the Assembly Floor.”
