____ can be established by legislative action but are most commonly created by an administrative agency or a local entity with the authority to do so.

The correct answer is codes/regulations. Codes and regulations are indeed often developed through the efforts of administrative agencies or local authorities, which have the necessary mandate to create specific rules that align with broader legislative goals. This process allows for the establishment of detailed guidelines that govern a wide range of activities and ensure compliance with legislative mandates.

In contrast, while statutes are laws passed by the legislative body, they typically provide a broad framework or authority under which codes and regulations can be developed. Standards, on the other hand, are guidelines or benchmarks for consistency and quality, generally developed through consensus by professional organizations rather than directly enacted through legislation. Ethics involves moral principles and does not have a formal establishment through legislative or regulatory means, but rather evolves through societal norms and values.