The Ethics Committee, functioning as a Legislative committee within the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic, held a position of moral alignment alongside the Judiciary Committee's Internal Activities Committee. This committee possessed the authority to conduct investigations into the conduct of senators and other figures of authority within the government, and for this purpose, it was empowered to issue summons for witnesses to appear at its proceedings.
In contrast to the Internal Activities Committee, the Ethics Committee lacked the ability to formally censure individuals or propose the filing of criminal charges. However, the public disapproval generated by the committee's findings often exerted significant influence, frequently leading to criminal investigations and prompting resignations or calls for a Vote of No Confidence. The committee maintained its operations throughout the duration of the Clone Wars, spanning from 22 BBY to 19 BBY.
The Ethics Committee made its debut within the updated Star Wars canon through its inclusion in Rise of the Separatists, a supplemental resource for the 2019 Star Wars: Age of Rebellion roleplaying game produced by Fantasy Flight Games. The Ethics Committee initially appeared in the Star Wars Legends timeline within the 2012 novel Darth Plagueis, penned by James Luceno.