Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 - Modifying the City's Regulation of Municipal Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Limits and Establishing Lobbyist Registration, Reporting and Disclosure Requirements - PowerPointAd Hoc Committee on Election Reform 100 Civic Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 November 5, 2019 Item No. 13 Overview The City Council created the Committee to review the following: Lobbyist Registration; Campaign Contribution Limits; Election Year Fundraising; and Slate Mail. Lobbyist Regulation Purpose: Inform Council Members, and the public, when someone is being paid to speak to City officials on issues. Regulation Development: Reviewed regulations in other cities, and, the Committee decided to move forward with this model as a first step. Lobbyist Regulation Applies to any person being paid $500 or more (per month) (or contingency contract) to lobby the City to: Adopt a regulation; Grant/deny a permit; Award a contract; or Take legal action. Lobbyist Regulation Registration: Within 10 days of qualifying as a lobbyist and annually thereafter. Transparency: Requirement for lobbyist to disclose they are lobbyist and name of client. Penalties: Two tiers. Lobbyist Regulation County: Model incorporates County process and City Council will need coordination with Board of Supervisors if City Council, as a body, likes model. Campaign Contributions Inadvertent Violations: Return of contributions given or accepted by mistake. Intentional Violations: Streamlined process to refer case for prosecution. Election Year Fundraising Should fundraising be limited to one year prior to the election? The Committee is concerned that fundraising limitations would give an unfair advantage to: Incumbents; Self-funded candidates; and Persons making non -coordinated independent expenditures. Slate Mail Slate Mail: Regulated by the FPPC. Coordinated Payments: Subject to City campaign finance limits. New Regulation: Slate Mail is a type of speech and new regulation will only be upheld if it is narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest. Questions?