The Board of Supervisors has adopted a Lobbyist Ordinance to regulate any person who contacts certain county officials with the purpose of promoting, supporting, modifying, opposing, or causing delay or abandonment of conduct. Ordinance No. NS-19-42 regulates contract lobbyists, in-house lobbyists, lobbying firms, and expenditure filers who influence policy without directly contacting officials.

Legislative, procurement, and grassroots activity is covered by the ordinance, which specifically provides for the possibility a political action committee will qualify as an in-house lobbyist.

Registration and disclosure forms will be available when the ordinance becomes effective on March 27, 2014.

The Ethics Commission will be holding a series of workshops over the next few months to receive input concerning proposed amendments to campaign laws. The suggested reforms include classifying the duplication of candidates’ campaign materials as nonmonetary contributions instead of independent expenditures.

In addition, the commission seeks to curb the practice of making independent expenditures on credit so as to delay disclosure of donors who verbally agree to pay the debt after the election.

Commission staff researched and produced a report to be discussed at the next commission meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2014. The report is available here.

Lawmakers approved a pair of bills to strengthen the authority of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and require political nonprofits to reveal their donors. The Assembly approved Senate Bill 27, requiring tax-exempt nonprofits actively involved in elections to comply with campaign finance reporting requirements.

The bill also requires campaign committees raising more than $1 million to maintain an accurate list of the top 10 contributors of $10,000 or more. Those lists would be placed on the FPPC website before elections.

The Senate approved Assembly Bill 800 to give the FPPC more enforcement powers including the ability to audit campaign reports before elections and for two years after elections. Both bills return to their original house for votes on amendments.

If signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, the changes would be effective July 1, 2014.

Photo of the California State Capitol courtesy of Sascha Brückon Wikimedia Commons.

On November 19, 2013, a special election was held to replace former mayor Bob Filner, who submitted his resignation amid scandal. Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election is scheduled for February 11, 2014.

Individuals may contribute up to $1,000 to the mayoral candidates for the runoff election. Contributions from committees and corporations are not permitted in city elections.

Seal of San Diego courtesy of Zscout370 on Wikimedia Commons.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved revisions to the campaign finance reform ordinance. The changes were requested by the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which enforces the county ordinance. Under the revised ordinance, contributions may be received for a general election before the primary has taken place, so long as the funds are set aside until after the primary.

The term “independent expenditure committee” will be removed from a section pertaining to electronic filing requirements for contributions of $10,000 or more and will be replaced with the more inclusive “other person, entity, or committee.”

The board also authorized new language in the ordinance giving the FPPC permission to give technical assistance to donors in the same manner it advises candidates.

The revisions are scheduled for final adoption on February 11, 2014.

City Council President Herb Wesson abandoned a plan to increase the value of gifts lawmakers can accept from companies seeking city contracts, opting to leave the amount unchanged at $100.

In October, City Council instructed the city’s lawyers to draft an ordinance increasing the gift limit to $150, despite a recommendation by the Ethics Commission to prohibit most gifts of any value.

The city’s ethics law will continue to bar lobbyists from giving gifts to elected officials and other high-level decision makers.

Those who do not have business before the city will continue to be permitted to give gifts to elected officials within the state limit of $440 per year. –

Gov. Jerry Brown issued a proclamation declaring a special election for Senate District 23. The primary will be held on March 25, 2014.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special general election will be held June 3, 2014.

The vacancy occurred following the resignation by Bill Emmerson. Senate District 23 includes portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

The Ethics Commission has approved a regulation providing a method for candidates and campaign committees to comply with due diligence requirements of the pay-to-play restrictions.

Code section 1.126 prohibits a city or county contractor from contributing to a candidate who can determine whether a contract is awarded.

Regulation 1.126-7 will require the contributor to certify he or she is not an not an owner, director, officer, or named subcontractor of any entity currently negotiating or recently awarded a contract with the city, county, or other covered agency.

The regulation is effective January 24, 2014.

City Council instructed the city’s lawyers to draft an ordinance increasing the gift limit to $150 for gifts provided by bidders, contractors, and other restricted sources. Currently, people doing business with the city can provide gifts to city officials valued at $100 or less per calendar year.

Recently, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission recommended curtailing gifts to city officials, hoping to boost public confidence in government. The commission’s recommendation would have extended the current ban on gifts from lobbyists to all people with a financial stake in city decisions.

Photo of the Los Angeles City Hall by Brion Vibber on Wikipedia.

The Board of Supervisors has amended campaign finance regulations to require candidates and committees to electronically disclose all contributions of $1,000 or more, whether made during or outside the 90-day election cycle. Effective January 1, 2014, a candidate or political action committee must electronically post details of a contribution within 10 days if the amount meets or exceeds the $1,000 threshold outside an election cycle.

Currently, only contributions of $5,000 or more need to be posted electronically if made outside an election cycle. Contributions of $1,000 or more made during an election cycle will continue to be filed electronically within 24 hours.

The ordinance is expected to comply with Assembly Bill 2452, a new state law allowing local governing bodies to require electronic disclosure for contributions, so long as the locality complies with state regulations.

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed three bills sponsored by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) designed to promote government transparency:

• Assembly Bill 409 creates an electronic filing system for public officials who file annual statements of economic interest (Form 700), allowing greater public accessibility to the statements;
• Assembly Bill 552 gives the FPPC greater authority to collect fines from individuals and entities who violate laws regarding campaign finance, lobbying, and conflicts of interest; and
• Assembly Bill 1090 allows the FPPC to give written or telephone advice to public officials about conflicts of interest in government contracts.

Assembly Bill 409 takes effect immediately. Assembly Bill 552 and Assembly Bill 1090 are effective January 1, 2014.

Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a special election for Assembly District 54. The primary will be held on December 3, 2013.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special general election will be held on February 4, 2014. The vacancy occurred following the resignation by Assembly Member Holly Mitchell.

Assembly District 54 is wholly contained in Los Angeles County.

Lawmakers adjourned for the year just after midnight on Friday, September 13, 2013.

Hundreds of bills were passed in the last week of the session including a minimum wage increase, changes to the California Environmental Quality Act, and a bill permitting undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses.

Photo of the California State Capitol Building by Sascha Brück on Wikipedia.

City Council has scheduled a special election to replace Mayor Bob Filner on November 19, 2013. Filner is scheduled to resign Friday, August 29, following sexual harassment allegations from more than a dozen women.

If one candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the person would assume office December 17, 2013. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a runoff election would be held within the 49-day period called for by the City Charter.