HERITAGE SERIES TRUST
485BPOS, EX-99.23(P), 2000-12-29
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                                                                EXHIBIT 99.23(p)


                                 CODE OF ETHICS

                         HERITAGE ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
                     HERITAGE FAMILY OF INVESTMENT COMPANIES

I.       INTRODUCTION

         This Code of Ethics has been adopted by Heritage Asset Management, Inc.
("Heritage")  and each of the Heritage  Funds listed in Appendix 1 in compliance
with  Rule  17j-1  under  the  Investment  Company  Act  of  1940,  as  amended.
Capitalized  terms used in this Code are defined in  Appendix 2. All  Appendices
referred to herein are attached to and are a part of this Code.

         This  Code is based on the  principle  that  the  trustees,  directors,
officers and employees of Heritage and the Heritage  Funds have a fiduciary duty
to place the  interests of Advisory  Clients ahead of their own interests and to
avoid activities,  interests and relationships  that might interfere with making
decisions in the best interests of Advisory Clients. As fiduciaries, each Access
Person must at all times:

         1.  PLACE THE INTERESTS OF ADVISORY CLIENTS FIRST.  In other words, you
             must scrupulously  avoid serving your own personal  interests ahead
             of Advisory Clients.

         2.  CONDUCT  ALL PERSONAL  SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS  IN  FULL COMPLIANCE
             WITH THIS CODE,  INCLUDING  BOTH THE  PRE-CLEARANCE  AND  REPORTING
             REQUIREMENTS,  and  avoid  any  actual or  potential  conflicts  of
             interest.

         3.  AVOID TAKING INAPPROPRIATE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR POSITION. For example,
             your receipt of  investment  opportunities,  perquisites,  or gifts
             from persons seeking business with Advisory Clients could call into
             question the exercise of your independent judgment.

         Doubtful  situations  should be resolved  in favor of Advisory  Clients
because  technical  compliance with the Code's procedures will not automatically
insulate  from  scrutiny  activities  that  indicate an abuse of your  fiduciary
duties.

         In most instances, the Code establishes similar reporting standards for
each person subject to the Code unless otherwise  specifically  noted.  However,
somewhat stricter  restrictions on certain activities and/or  transactions apply
to  INVESTMENT  PERSONNEL  and  PORTFOLIO  MANAGERS  due to  their  more  direct
involvement and greater  influence on portfolio  trading  activities of Advisory
Clients.



<PAGE>

II.      APPLICATION OF THE CODE OF ETHICS TO ACCESS PERSONS

         A.  General Requirement
             -------------------

         Except as set forth in Sections II-B and II-C below, each Access Person
must comply with each requirement of the Code.

         B.  Independent Fund Trustees
             -------------------------

         Notwithstanding  the  definition  of  Access  Persons,   the  following
provisions  of the Code do not  apply to  Independent  Fund  Trustees  and their
Immediate Families.

         1.  pre-clearance of trades (Sections III-A, C)
         2.  certain prohibited transactions (Section III-D)
         3.  certain reporting requirements (Sections IV-A, C);
         4.  restrictions on acceptance and giving of gifts (Section VIII); and
         5.  restrictions on serving as a director of a publicly-traded company
             (Section XI).

         C.  Directors of Heritage and Officers of the Heritage Funds
             --------------------------------------------------------

         Notwithstanding  the  definition  of  Access  Persons,   the  following
provisions of the Code do not apply to Directors of Heritage and officers of the
Heritage  Funds who are not employees of Heritage and the Immediate  Families of
such persons:

         1.  pre-clearance of trades (Sections III-A, C)
         2.  certain prohibited transactions (Section III-D)
         3.  acceptance and giving of gifts (Section VIII)
         4.  restrictions on serving as a director of a publicly-traded company
             (Section XI)

         D.  Interested Fund Trustees of the Heritage Funds
             ----------------------------------------------

         Notwithstanding  the  definition  of  Access  Persons,   the  following
provisions of the Code do not apply to Interested  Fund Trustees of the Heritage
Funds and the Immediate Families of such persons:

         1.  pre-clearance of trades (Sections III-A, C)


III.     PRE-CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS
         ------------------------------------------------------

         A.  General Requirement
             -------------------

         Except for the  transactions set forth in Section III-B, all Securities
Transactions  by Access  Persons in an Access Person Account must be pre-cleared
with the  Pre-Clearance  Officer.  This provision does not apply to those Access
Persons   identified  in  Sections  II-B,  II-C  and  II-D  above,  as  well  as
non-employee officers of Heritage.



                                       2
<PAGE>


         B.  Transactions Exempt from Pre-clearance
             --------------------------------------

         The following  Securities  Transactions in an Access Person Account are
exempt from the  pre-clearance  requirements  set forth in Section III-A of this
Code:

         1.  Securities  Transactions  in  which neither  the  Access Person nor
             any Immediate  Family Member knows of the transaction  before it is
             completed  (such as  discretionary  trades made by a  fiduciary  in
             which the Access Person or Immediate Family Member is not consulted
             or advised of the trade before it is executed).

         2.  Securities  Transactions  for  accounts  of  spouses of  all Access
             Persons,  other than  spouses of Portfolio  Mangers and  Investment
             Personnel;  provided however,  that the applicable Access Person is
             not listed as a party to his or her spouse's trading account.

         3.  Any  purchase or  sale of  Securities of  any issuer  with a market
             capitalization in excess of $10 billion.

         4.  Any  acquisition of Securities  through  stock  dividends, dividend
             reinvestments, stock splits, mergers, consolidations, spin-offs, or
             other similar corporate  reorganizations or distributions generally
             applicable to all holders of the same class of Securities.

         5.  Any  acquisition  of  Securities  through  the  exercise of  rights
             issued  by an  issuer  PRO  RATA to all  holders  of a class of its
             Securities, to the extent the rights were acquired in the issue.

         6.  Any transaction involving: bankers' acceptances; bank  certificates
             of  deposit;   commercial  paper;  high  quality   short-term  debt
             (including  repurchase  agreements);  commodity futures  (including
             currency  futures) and options  thereon;  interests  in  Securities
             comprising part of a broad-based,  publicly traded market basket or
             index of stocks,  approved for trading by the  appropriate  federal
             authority  (for  example,  options  on the S&P 500  Index);  shares
             issued by open-end investment companies; Securities directly issued
             by the U.S. Government;  Securities issued by a registered open-end
             investment companies (including the Heritage Funds);  Raymond James
             Financial,  Inc. stock purchased through a quarterly employee stock
             purchase  plan;  and other  Securities  as may from time to time be
             designated in writing by the Code of Ethics Review Committee on the
             ground that the risk of abuse is minimal or non-existent.

         C.  Pre-clearance Requests
             ----------------------

         Prior to entering an order for a  Securities  Transaction  in an Access
Person Account,  an Access Person (other than those identified in Sections II-B,
II-C, and II-D above) must fill out a Trade Authorization Request Form (Appendix
4) and  submit  the  completed  form  to the  Pre-Clearance  Officer.  (Proposed


                                       3
<PAGE>


Securities  Transactions  for the  Pre-Clearance  Officer's  own  Access  Person
Account must be submitted to the President of Heritage.) The Trade Authorization
Request Form requires Access Persons to provide certain  information and to make
certain  representations.  After  receiving  the completed  Trade  Authorization
Request Form, the Pre-Clearance  Officer will review the information in the form
and, as soon as practicable  (generally  within 24 hours),  determine whether to
clear the proposed Securities Transaction.

         No  order  for  a  Securities   Transaction  for  which   pre-clearance
authorization is sought may be placed prior to receipt of written  authorization
by the Pre-Clearance Officer. The date of any authorization must be reflected on
the Trade  Authorization  Request Form. The Pre-Clearance  Officer will send one
copy of the completed  form to the person  seeking  authorization  and the other
copy to the appropriate compliance department.

         D.  Prohibited Transactions
             -----------------------

         The following  Securities  Transactions in an Access Person Account are
prohibited   transactions  and  will  not  be  authorized   absent   exceptional
circumstances:

         1.  Any transaction by an Access Person while in possession of "INSIDE"
             MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION regarding the Security or the issuer
             of the Security;

         2.  Any  acquisition  by  an  Investment  Person  of an  INITIAL PUBLIC
             OFFERING  (other  than  a new  offering  of a  registered  open-end
             investment company);

         3.  Any  transaction by an Access Person  intended to raise,  lower, or
             maintain the price of any Security or to create A FALSE  APPEARANCE
             OF ACTIVE TRADING; and

         4.  Any  transaction  by an Access  Person on any day during which such
             Access Person has knowledge  that an Advisory  Client HAS A PENDING
             "BUY"  OR  "SELL"  ORDER  in the same  Security  (or an  Equivalent
             Security)  until that order is  executed or  withdrawn,  unless the
             Access Person provides an explanation of why the trade is necessary
             and  provision  is  made  for the  Advisory  Client  trade  to take
             precedence  (in  terms of price)  over the  Access  Person  Account
             trade.  Prior to approving a trade, the Pre-Clearance  Officer must
             determine  whether  there is an open  order for the  Security  by a
             Fund.

         5.  Any  transaction by a Portfolio  Manager within SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS
             of a  purchase  or sale of the same  Securities  (or an  Equivalent
             Security) by any Advisory Client managed by the Portfolio  Manager.
             For example,  if an Advisory  Client  trades a security on day one,
             day eight is the first day its  Portfolio  Manager  may trade  that
             Security  for  an  account  in  which  he or she  has a  beneficial
             interest.

         6.  Any  purchase  of a  Security  by an  Investment  Person  within 60
             CALENDAR  DAYS  of the  sale  of that  Security  (or an  Equivalent
             Security) by that Investment  Person (or Immediate  Family Member),
             and any  sale of a  Security  by an  Investment  Person  within  60
             CALENDAR  DAYS of the purchase of the  Security  (or an  Equivalent
             Security) by that Investment  Person (or Immediate  Family Member),


                                       4
<PAGE>


             unless the  Investment  Person agrees to give up all profits on the
             transaction to a charitable organization designated by Heritage.

         7.  Any  acquisition  of  Securities  in  a  PRIVATE  PLACEMENT  by  an
             Investment  Person,  unless the  Compliance  Officer  approves such
             transaction  after  considering,  among other factors,  whether the
             investment  opportunity  should be reserved for an Advisory  Client
             and  whether  the  opportunity  is being  offered to an  Investment
             Person by virtue of his or her  position as an  Investment  Person.
             Investment  Persons  who have been  authorized  to  acquire or have
             acquired  securities  in a private  placement  must  disclose  that
             investment to the  Compliance  Officer when they play a part in any
             subsequent  consideration  of an  investment  in the  issuer  by an
             Advisory  Client and the  decision  to purchase  securities  of the
             issuer by the Advisory Client must be  independently  authorized by
             an appropriate  Investment  Person with no personal interest in the
             issuer.

         8.  ANY  OTHER  TRANSACTION  deemed by  the  Pre-Clearance   Officer to
             involve a conflict of  interest,  possible  diversion  of corporate
             opportunity, or an appearance of impropriety.

         In some cases,  the  Pre-Clearance  Officer  may refuse to  authorize a
Securities  Transaction  for a reason that is  confidential.  The  Pre-Clearance
Officer is not  required to give an  explanation  for  refusing  to  authorize a
Securities Transaction.

         E.  Length of Trade Authorization Approval
             --------------------------------------

         The authorization  provided by the Pre-Clearance  Officer is effective,
unless  earlier  revoked,  until the earlier of (1) the close of business on the
third  trading day after the  authorization  is granted,  or (2) when the Access
Person learns that  information in the Trade  Authorization  Request Form is not
accurate. If a trade order is not placed within that period, a new authorization
must be obtained before the Securities  Transaction is placed.  If a trade order
has been  placed  but has not been  executed  within  three  trading  days after
authorization  is  granted  (such  as in the  case  of a  limit  order),  no new
authorization  is necessary  unless (1) the person  placing the  original  order
amends the order, or (2) the order remains outstanding for more than 30 days.






                                       5
<PAGE>


IV.      REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ACCESS PERSONS EXCEPT INDEPENDENT FUND
         ---------------------------------------------------------------------
         TRUSTEES
         --------

         A.  Initial Holdings Report
             -----------------------

         Except for the  transactions  set forth in Section VI below, any person
who  becomes an Access  Person of  Heritage  or the  Heritage  Funds must submit
within 10 days of  becoming  an Access  Person an Initial  Holdings  Report (see
Appendix  3) listing  all  securities  that he or she holds in an Access  Person
Account. The Report should be forwarded to the Compliance Officer.

         B.  Quarterly Transaction Reports/Duplicate Confirmations
             -----------------------------------------------------
             and Statements
             --------------

         Except for the transactions set forth in Section VI below, every Access
Person must  arrange for the  Compliance  Officer to receive  directly  from the
broker,  dealer, or bank in question,  duplicate copies of each confirmation and
periodic  statement  for any  Securities  Transaction  during the  quarter in an
Access Person  Account.  All copies must be received no later than 10 days after
the end of the calendar  quarter.  Each  confirmation or statement must disclose
the following information:

         1. the date of the transaction;
         2. the title (and interest rate and maturity date, if applicable);
         3. the number of shares and principal amount;
         4. the nature of the transaction (e.g., purchase, sale);
         5. the price of the Security; and
         6. the name of the broker,  dealer or bank through  which the trade was
            effected.

         If an Access Person is not able to arrange for duplicate  confirmations
and  statements  to be sent that contain the  information  required  above,  the
Access Person promptly must submit Quarterly  Transaction  Reports (see Appendix
8)  within  10 days  after  the  completion  of  each  calendar  quarter  to the
Compliance Officer.

         Every Access Person who establishes an Access Person Account during the
quarter must  complete the required  section  pertaining  to new accounts in the
Quarterly  Transaction Report (see Appendix 8). This Report must be submitted to
the  Compliance  Officer  within 10 days after the  completion  of each calendar
quarter.

         C.  Annual Holdings Report
             ----------------------

         Each Access Person must submit an Annual  Holdings Report (see Appendix
3) listing all securities in an Access Person  Account.  The  information in the
Annual  Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 30 days before
the  report is  submitted.  The  completed  report  should be  submitted  to the
Compliance Officer by January 31 following the end of the calendar year.



                                       6
<PAGE>


V.       REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT FUND TRUSTEES
         ----------------------------------------------------

         Independent  Fund Trustees  (and their  Immediate  Families)  need only
report a Securities Transaction if, at the time of the transaction,  such person
knew or, in the  ordinary  course of  fulfilling  his or her duties as an Access
Person,  should have known that, during the 15-day period immediately  preceding
or after the date of the transaction,  such security had been or was going to be
purchased or sold by a Heritage Fund or that such a purchase or sale had been or
was going to be considered by a Heritage Fund.  Those  Independent Fund Trustees
who have  Securities  Transactions  to report should refer to the  procedures in
Section IV-B above.

VI.      EXEMPTIONS, DISCLAIMERS AND AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS
         ---------------------------------------------------

         A.  Exemptions from Reporting Requirements
             --------------------------------------

         1. Securities  Transactions  involving the following  circumstances  or
Securities are exempt from Section IV and V reporting requirements:  (1) neither
the Access  Person nor an  Immediate  Family  Member had any direct or  indirect
influence or control over the transaction; (2) Securities directly issued by the
U.S. Government; (3) bankers' acceptances; (4) bank certificates of deposit; (5)
commercial  paper;  (6) high  quality  short-term  debt  instruments  (including
repurchase  agreements);  (7) shares issued by open-end  mutual  funds;  and (8)
other  Securities  as may from time to time be designated in writing by the Code
of Ethics Review  Committee based on a  determination  that the risk of abuse is
minimal or non-existent.

         2. Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  Section IV-B above,  no Access
Person of Heritage  shall be required  to make a  Quarterly  Transaction  Report
where such report would duplicate  information  recorded by Heritage pursuant to
Rule 204-2(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

         B.  Disclaimers
             -----------

         Any  report of a  Securities  Transaction  for the  benefit of a person
other than the individual in whose account the transaction is placed may contain
a statement  that the report  should not be  construed  as an  admission  by the
person  making the report that he or she has any direct or  indirect  beneficial
ownership in the Security to which the Report relates.

         C.  Availability of Reports
             -----------------------

         All  information  supplied  pursuant to this Code may be available  for
inspection by the Trustees of the Heritage Funds, the President of Heritage, the
Code of Ethics Review  Committee,  the  Compliance  Officer,  the  Pre-Clearance
Officer,  the Access  Person's  department  manager (or designee),  any party to
which any investigation is referred by any of the foregoing,  the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  any  self-regulatory  organization of which Heritage is a
member, and any state securities commission with appropriate jurisdiction.


                                       7
<PAGE>


VII.     CONFIDENTIALITY
         ---------------

         Access Persons are prohibited  from revealing  information  relating to
the investment  intentions,  activities or portfolios of Advisory Clients except
to persons whose  responsibilities  require  knowledge of the  information or to
regulatory  authorities who have appropriate  jurisdiction  with respect to such
matters.

VIII.    GIFTS
         -----

         On occasion,  because of their  position  with Heritage or the Heritage
Funds, Investment Personnel may be offered gifts from, or may wish to give gifts
to,  unaffiliated  persons or  entities  that do business  with  Heritage or the
Heritage  Funds.  The  solicitation,  acceptance  or  giving  of such  gifts  or
gratuities by Investment Personnel is strictly prohibited, except for gifts of a
nominal value (I.E.,  gifts whose  reasonable value is no more than $100 a year)
and customary business lunches, dinners,  entertainment (E.G., sporting events),
and promotional  items (E.G.,  pens, mugs,  T-shirts).  If an Investment  Person
receives any gift that might be prohibited under this Code, that person promptly
must inform the Compliance Officer.

IX.      CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES
         -----------------------

         Access  Persons  may not take  personal  advantage  of any  opportunity
properly  belonging to the Advisory Clients.  This includes,  but is not limited
to, acquiring  Securities for one's own account that would otherwise be acquired
for Advisory Clients.

X.       UNDUE INFLUENCE
         ---------------

         Access Persons may not cause or attempt to cause an Advisory  Client to
purchase,  sell or hold  any  Security  in a manner  calculated  to  create  any
personal benefit to the Access Person.

         If an Access  Person or Immediate  Family  Member  stands to materially
benefit  from an  investment  decision  for an  Advisory  Client that the Access
Person is recommending or participating in, the Access Person must disclose that
interest  to persons  with  authority  to make  investment  decisions  or to the
Compliance  Officer.  Based on the information given, a decision will be made as
to whether to restrict the Access Person's participation in causing the Advisory
Client  to  purchase  or sell a  Security  in which  the  Access  Person  has an
interest.

         Access  Persons must disclose to those  persons with  authority to make
investment  decisions for Advisory Clients (or to the Compliance  Officer if the
Access  Person  in  question  is a  person  with  authority  to make  investment
decisions only for the Fund), any Beneficial Interest that the Access Person (or
Immediate  Family) has in that  Security or an  Equivalent  Security,  or in the
issuer thereof, where the decision could create a material benefit to the Access
Person (or Immediate  Family) or the  appearance of  impropriety.  The person to
whom the Access Person reports the interest, in consultation with the Compliance
Officer,  must determine  whether the Access Person will be restricted in making
investment decisions.


                                       8
<PAGE>


XI.      SERVICE AS A DIRECTOR
         ---------------------

         No  Investment  Person  may  serve  on  the  board  of  directors  of a
publicly-traded  company not  affiliated  with  Heritage or the  Heritage  Funds
absent prior written  approval by the Compliance  Officer.  This approval rarely
will be granted  and,  if  granted,  normally  will  require  that the  relevant
Investment Person be isolated, through "Chinese Wall" or other procedures,  from
those  making  investment  decisions  related to the  issuer on whose  board the
Investment Person sits.

XII.     CODE OF ETHICS REVIEW COMMITTEE
         -------------------------------

         The Code of Ethics Review  Committee shall  investigate any reported or
suspected  violation of the Code and, as  appropriate,  take such actions as are
authorized  by Section  XII. The  Committee  also shall review the Code at least
once a year,  in light of legal and  business  developments  and  experience  in
implementing  the Code,  and will prepare an annual  report to the  President of
Heritage and the Heritage Funds' Boards of Trustees that:

         1.  summarizes  existing  procedures  concerning personal investing and
             any changes in the procedures made during the past year,

         2.  identifies any Material Investigations during the past year, and

         3.  identifies  any  recommended  changes in  existing  restrictions or
             procedures  based  on  the  experience  under  the  Code,  evolving
             industry   practices,   or   developments  in  applicable  laws  or
             regulations.

         Members of the Committee,  the Compliance Officer and the Pre-Clearance
officer are set forth in Appendix 5.

XIII.    REMEDIES
         --------

         If the Code of Ethics Review Committee determines that an Access Person
has  violated  this Code,  the  Committee  may impose  sanctions  and take other
actions as it deems appropriate,  including a letter of censure or suspension or
termination  of the  employment.  As part of any  sanction,  the  Committee  may
require the Access  Person to reverse the  trade(s) in question  and forfeit any
profit or absorb any loss derived therefrom. The Committee has sole authority to
determine  the  remedy  for any  violation  of the Code,  including  appropriate
disposition of any monies forfeited pursuant to this provision. Failure to abide
by a directive  to reverse a trade may result in the  imposition  of  additional
sanctions.



                                       9
<PAGE>


         Whenever the Code of Ethics Review Committee  determines that an Access
Person has  committed a violation of this Code  relating to a Heritage Fund that
merits  remedial  action,  it  will  report  to the  Board  of  Trustees  of the
appropriate  Heritage  Fund  information  relating  to  the  violation  and  any
sanctions imposed.

XIV.     COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION
         ------------------------

         Each current  Access  Person and each  newly-hired  Access Person shall
certify that he or she has received, read and understands this Code of Ethics by
executing  the  Acknowledgment  of Receipt  of Code of Ethics  Form set forth as
Appendix  6. At least once a year,  each  Access  Persons  will be  required  to
certify on the Access Person  Certification Form set forth as Appendix 7 that he
or she has read and understands the Code, has complied with the  requirements of
the Code, and has reported all Securities  Transactions required to be disclosed
or reported pursuant to the Code.

XV.      INQUIRIES REGARDING THE CODE
         ----------------------------

         Please call the Compliance Officer if you have any questions about this
Code or any other compliance-related matters.

Adopted  effective as of March 1, 1995,  as amended on August 7, 1995,  November
18, 1996, May 12, 1998, February 14, 2000 and May 22, 2000.








                                       10
<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 1
                                                                      ----------

         This  Code of  Ethics  has been  adopted  by the  following  investment
companies:

                  Heritage Cash Trust

                  Heritage Capital Appreciation Trust

                  Heritage Income-Growth Trust

                  Heritage Income Trust

                  Heritage Series Trust

March 1, 1995, as amended on February 14, 2000


<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 2
                                                                      ----------

                                   DEFINITIONS

         "Access Person" means any trustee, director, officer or Advisory Person
of Heritage and the Heritage Funds.

         "Advisory  Person"  means (i) any employee of Heritage and the Heritage
Funds (or of any company in a control  relationship with such companies) who, in
connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes,  participates in,
or obtains  information  regarding  the  purchase  or sale of a  security  by an
Advisory Client,  or whose functions relate to the making of any  recommendation
with  respect  to such  purchases  or sales,  and (ii) any  natural  person in a
control  relationship  to such  companies  who  obtains  information  concerning
recommendations made to an Advisory Client with respect to the purchase and sale
of securities by an Advisory Client.

         "Access Person Account" means the following  Securities  accounts:  any
personal account of an Access Person; any joint or  tenant-in-common  account in
which the Access  Person has an  interest or is a  participant;  any account for
which the Access Person acts as trustee,  executor,  or  custodian;  any account
over which the Access Person has investment discretion or otherwise can exercise
control (other than non-related  clients'  accounts over which the Access Person
has  investment  discretion),  including  the  accounts of  entities  controlled
directly or indirectly by the Access Person;  and any other account in which the
Access  Person has a direct or  indirect  Beneficial  Interest  (other than such
accounts over which the Access Person has no  investment  discretion  and cannot
otherwise exercise control); and any account in which an Immediate Family member
has a Beneficial Interest.

         "Advisory  Client"  means each of the Heritage  Funds in Appendix 1 and
any other client to whom Heritage provides investment advice.

         "Beneficial  Interest"  means the  opportunity  to share,  directly  or
indirectly, in any profit or loss on a transaction in Securities, including, but
not limited to, all joint accounts, partnerships, and trusts.

         "Compliance Officer" means the so-designated individual at Heritage (or
that person's designee if the compliance person is absent or unavailable) as set
forth in Appendix 5 as amended from time to time.

         "Equivalent  Security"  means any Security issued by the same entity as
the issuer of a security,  including options, rights, warrants, preferred stock,
restricted stock, bonds, and other obligations of that issuer.

         "Heritage  Fund"  means the  Heritage  investment  companies  listed in
Appendix 1 as amended from time to time.



<PAGE>


         "Immediate  Family"  of an Access  Person  means  any of the  following
persons who reside in the same household as the Access Person:

           child             grandparent               son-in-law
           stepchild         spouse                    daughter-in-law
           grandchild        sibling                   brother-in-law
           parent            mother-in-law             sister-in-law
           stepparent        father-in-law

Immediate Family includes adoptive relationships.

         "Independent  Fund Trustee" means the trustees of the Funds who are not
"interested  persons"  of the Funds as that term is  defined  in the  Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.

         "Initial Public Offering" is an offering of securities registered under
the Securities Act of 1933 by an issuer who immediately  before the registration
of such securities was not subject to the reporting  requirements of sections 13
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

         "Interested  Fund  Trustee"  means  the  trustees  of the Funds who are
"interested  persons"  of the Funds as that term is  defined  in the  Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.

         "Investment  Personnel" (or,  singularly,  "Investment Person") are (i)
employees  of the  Heritage  Funds or  Heritage  (or of any company in a control
relationship  to such  companies)  who,  in  connection  with his or her regular
functions or duties, makes or participates in making  recommendations  regarding
the  purchase or sale of a security,  or (ii) any natural  person who controls a
Heritage Fund or Heritage and who obtains information concerning recommendations
made to an Advisory Client  regarding the purchase and sale of securities by the
Advisory Client. References to Investment Personnel include Portfolio Managers.

         "Heritage" means Heritage Asset Management, Inc.

         "Material  Investigation"  means  an  investigation  that  leads to the
imposition of a significant remedial action for a violation of the Code.

         "Portfolio Manager" means those natural persons employed by Heritage or
directly by the Heritage Funds who are entrusted with the direct  responsibility
and authority to make  investment  decisions  affecting a Heritage Fund or other
advisory client of Heritage.

         "Pre-Clearance Officer" means the so-designated  individual at Heritage
(or  that  person's  designee  if  the   Pre-Clearance   Officer  is  absent  or
unavailable) as set forth in Appendix 5 as amended from time to time.

         "Private  Placement" means a limited offering exempt from  registration
pursuant  to  Rules  504,  505 or 506 or  under  Section  4(2)  or  4(6)  of the
Securities Act of 1933.

         "Security"  includes  stock,  notes,  bonds,   debentures,   and  other
evidences of  indebtedness  (including  loan  participations  and  assignments),


                                       2
<PAGE>


limited  partnership  interests,   investment  contracts,   and  all  derivative
instruments,  such as options and warrants.  Security also includes  futures and
options on futures but, unlike other Securities,  there is no requirement in the
Code that such Securities be pre-cleared.

         "Securities Transaction" means a purchase or sale of Securities.











                                       3
<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 3
                                                                      ----------

                          PERSONAL SECURITIES HOLDINGS
          (use for Initial Holdings Report and Annual Holdings Report)


         In  accordance  with the Code of  Ethics,  please  list all  securities
holdings for each of your Access  Person  Accounts,  including  accounts of your
Immediate Family.

(1)  Initial or Annual Report (circle one)

(2)  Name of Access Person:

     ----------------------------------------

(3)  If different than #1, name of the person
     in whose name the account is held:

     ----------------------------------------

(4)  Relationship of (2) to (1):

     ----------------------------------------

(5)  Account Number:

     ----------------------------------------

(6)  For each account, attach your most recent
     account statement listing securities in
     that account.  If you own securities that
     are not listed in an attached account
     statement, list them below:

     Name of Security   Quantity   Principal Amount   Name of Broker/Dealer/Bank
     ----------------   --------   ----------------   --------------------------

1.

2.

3.

4.

(Attach separate sheet if necessary)

         I  certify  that  this  form  and  the  attached  statements  (if  any)
constitute  all  of the  securities  in my  Access  Person  Accounts,  including
accounts of my Immediate Family.


------------------------------
Access Person Signature


------------------------------
Print Name

Dated:
      ------------------------



                                       4
<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 4
                                                                      ----------

             TRADE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST FOR ACCESS PERSON ACCOUNTS

(1)  Name of access person requesting authorization:

     ------------------------------------------------------

(2)  If different than #1, name of the person
     in whose account the trade will occur:

     ------------------------------------------------------

(3)  Relationship of (2) to (1):

     ------------------------------------------------------

(4)  Name of security:

     ------------------------------------------------------

(5)  Maximum # of shares or units to be purchased
     or sold or amount of bond:

     ------------------------------------------------------

(6)  Check if applicable:___Purchase ___Sale ___Market Order ___Limit Order

(7)  Do you possess material nonpublic information regarding
     the security or the issuer of the security?                 ____ Yes____ No

(8)  To your knowledge, are the securities or "equivalent"
     securities (I.E., securities issued by the same issuer)
     held by any Advisory Client?                               ____ Yes ____ No

(9)  To your knowledge, are there any outstanding purchase or sell
     orders for this security (or any equivalent security) by any
     Advisory Client?                                           ____ Yes ____ No

(10) To your knowledge, are the securities (or equivalent
     securities) being considered for purchase or sale
     by any Advisory Client?                                  ____ Yes   ____ No

(11) If you are an Investment Person, are the securities being
     acquired in an Initial Public Offering?                  ____ Yes   ____ No

(12) If you are an Investment Person, are the securities being
     acquired in a Private Placement?                         ____ Yes   ____ No




<PAGE>

(13) If you are a Portfolio  Manager, has any account you
     managed purchased or sold these securities (or
     equivalent securities) within the past seven
     calendar days or do you expect the account to
     purchase or sell these securities (or equivalent
     securities) within seven calendar days after
     your purchase or sale?                                   ____ Yes   ____ No

(14) If you are an Investment Person, have you or any
     account covered by the Code's pre-authorization
     provisions purchased or sold these securities
     (or equivalent securities) in the prior 60 days?         ____ Yes   ____ No

     I  have read  the  currently  effective  Code of Ethics,  and  believe that
the proposed trade complies fully with the requirements of the Code.


                                             -----------------------------------
                                                   Access Person Signature


                                             -----------------------------------
                                                   Print Name


Authorized:  _____________________________________

Date:        _____________________________________






                                       2
<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 5
                                                                      ----------

                                 CONTACT PERSONS



POSITION                        INDIVIDUAL                      DESIGNEE
--------                        ----------                      --------


PRE-CLEARANCE OFFICER

COMPLIANCE OFFICER

CODE OF ETHICS REVIEW
  COMMITTEE









Adopted effective as of February 14, 2000


<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 6
                                                                      ----------


                   ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF CODE OF ETHICS



         I acknowledge  that I have received the Code of Ethics (as last amended
on ______ __, 2000), adopted by Heritage Asset Management, Inc. and the Heritage
Family  of  Investment  Companies  and  represent  that I have  read the Code of
Ethics, understand the Code of Ethics and will comply with the Code of Ethics.



                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Access Person Signature


                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Print Name




Dated:    _____________






<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 7
                                                                      ----------

                     ANNUAL CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH
                               THE CODE OF ETHICS



         I certify that during the past year I have complied with all applicable
provisions of the Code of Ethics (as last amended on ______ __, 2000) adopted by
Heritage Asset Management, Inc. and the Heritage Family of Investment Companies,
including all applicable, disclosure, pre-clearance and reporting requirements.


                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Access Person Signature


                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Print Name







Dated:    ____________________



<PAGE>


                                        4

                                                                      Appendix 8
                                                                      ----------

                         REPORT OF SECURITY TRANSACTIONS
                          FOR QUARTER ENDED ____________


ACCESS PERSONS OTHER THAN INDEPENDENT  FUND TRUSTEES:  You do not need to report
transactions  in 1)  direct  obligations  of the U.S.  Government,  2)  bankers'
acceptances,   bank  CDs,   commercial  paper,  high  quality   short-term  debt
instruments,  3) shares of an open-end investment  company,  and 4) transactions
which you had no direct or indirect influence or control.

INDEPENDENT FUND TRUSTEES: If you are an Independent Fund Trustee, then you only
need to report a transaction if you, at the time of that  transaction,  knew or,
in the ordinary  course of fulfilling  your official  duties as a Trustee to the
Heritage  Funds,  should have known that,  during the 15-day period  immediately
before or after your transaction in a security,

    1)  the Funds purchased or sold such security or
    2)  the Funds or their investment adviser considered purchasing
        or selling such security.


Disclose all securities transactions for the period covered by this Report:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Price at
    Name/Description of          Number         Date of          Which        Principal       Bought              Name of
         Security*               Shares       Transaction      Effected        Amount        or Sold         Broker/Dealer/Bank
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <S>                          <C>          <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>             <C>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


* Please disclose the interest rate or maturity date, if applicable.

Did you establish any securities accounts during the period covered by this Report?  ___ Yes  ___ No
</TABLE>

If Yes, please complete the following:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Date of
          Name of Broker          Account Opening          Account Number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


____   The above is a record  of every  transaction  in a  security  or  account
       opened  which I had,  or in which I  acquired,  any  direct  or  indirect
       beneficial ownership during the period indicated above.

____   I certify  that the  Compliance  Officer has  received  confirmations  or
       account  statements  pertaining  to all  transactions  executed  and that
       disclose  the  information  required  above,  and notice of any  accounts
       opened, during the period covered by this Report.

____ I have nothing to report for the period covered by this Report.



Date: ____________________          Signature:__________________________________






                                       2

<PAGE>


                                                                      Appendix 9
                                                                      ----------


                   INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING / PRIVATE PLACEMENT
                                 CLEARANCE FORM
                  (for the use of the Compliance Officer only)


         The Code of Ethics for Heritage and the Heritage  Funds  prohibits  any
acquisition  of securities in an initial public  offering  (other than shares of
open-end  investment  companies) and private placement by any Investment Person.
In cases of exceptional circumstances,  however,  investments in such securities
may be permitted.  In these instances,  a record of the rationale supporting the
approval of such  transactions  must be completed and retained for a period of 5
years after the end of the fiscal year in which  approval is granted.  This form
should be used for such record keeping purposes.

Name of Investment Person:          _________________________________

Date of Request:                    _________________________________

Name of IPO / Private Placement:    _________________________________

Date of Offering:                   _________________________________

Number of Shares/Interests          _________________________________

Price:                              _________________________________

Name of Broker/Dealer/Bank          _________________________________


___ I have cleared the IPO/Private Placement transaction described above.

    Reasons supporting the decision to approve the above transaction:







                                            ------------------------------------
                                                 Name of Compliance Officer

                                            ------------------------------------
                                               Signature of Compliance Officer

                                            ------------------------------------
                                                           Date




                                       2






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