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Home My WebLink About2020-07-14 - AGENDA REPORTS - SECOND READING AND ADOPT OF AN ORD REGARDING ELECT (2)Agenda Item: 13 P CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:1 DATE: July 14, 2020 SUBJECT: SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING ELECTRONIC CAMPAIGN FILING DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services PRESENTER: Mary Cusick RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council conduct a second reading and adopt an ordinance entitled, "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, CONCERNING ELECTRONIC FILING OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS." BACKGROUND At the June 23, 2020, City Council meeting, an ordinance was introduced and passed to second reading regarding electronic campaign filing. Accessibility to online statements demonstrates the greatest level of transparency for both active committees, as well as the yet to be determined number of candidates and committees that may be participating in the upcoming 2020 general municipal election. Since June of 2017, the City Clerk's Office has utilized the Granicus CampaignDocs electronic filing web -based system software (CampaignDocs) for optional electronic filing of candidate and committee campaign forms. The CampaignDocs system has been certified by the Secretary of State and meets the requirements set by Government Code Section 84615. CampaignDocs is free to users and operates securely and effectively without unduly burdening filers, while providing immediate online access to redacted statements. Filers are able to input campaign finance information periodically, or all at once, with the system retaining and aggregating data specific to a campaign, to be used and carried over from one reporting period to the next. According to the Secretary of State website, more than 150 local government agencies and 30 counties throughout California have an online filing system and a public website for viewing reports, including several of the City's benchmark cities. The cities of Pasadena, Lancaster, and most recently Oxnard, have all passed similar ordinances regarding electronic filing of campaign disclosure forms. Page 1 Packet Pg. 119 ALTERNATIVE ACTION 1. Do not adopt ordinance. 2. Amend the ordinance as directed. FISCAL IMPACT No Fiscal Impact. ATTACHMENTS Ordinance - Electronic Campaign Statements Page 2 Packet Pg. 120 13.a ORDINANCE NO. 20- AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, CONCERNING ELECTRONIC FILING OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 84615 provides that the legislative body of a local government agency may adopt an ordinance that requires an elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person required to file statements, reports, or other documents required by Chapter 4 of the Political Reform Act, except those whose contributions and expenditures each total less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year, to file such statements, reports, or other documents online or electronically with the local filing officer (City Clerk); and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita has been using Granicus (formerly SouthTech Systems, Inc.) CampaignDocs electronic filing web -based system software for campaign reporting and compliance since June 2017; and WHEREAS, Granicus CampaignDocs electronic filing web -based system software contains multiple safeguards to protect the integrity and security of the data, and will operate securely and effectively and will not unduly burden filers; and WHEREAS, Granicus CampaignDocs electronic filing web -based system software has been certified by the Secretary of State and meets the requirements set by Government Code Section 84615; and WHEREAS, the City Clerk and Granicus will operate the CampaignDocs electronic filing web -based system software in compliance with the requirements of California Government Code Section 84615 and any other applicable laws. NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, California, does hereby ordain as follows: SECTION 1. Section 7.02.040 Campaign Disclosure of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: `B. Registration. Whenever any elected officer, candidate, or committee is required to file a campaign statement under the Political Reform Act or the Regulations with the City Clerk, the elected officer, candidate, or committee shall file the statement in an electronic format prescribed by the City Clerk. Any statement, report, or other document filed electronically or online pursuant to this section will be accepted as an original statement and need not be filed in paper format. Page 1 of 3 Packet Pg. 121 13.a 2. To ensure reporting continuity, once a statement, report, form, or other document is filed electronically on behalf of any elected officer, candidate, or committee, all future statements, reports, forms, and other documents filed on behalf of that officer, candidate or committee must be filed electronically. 3. An elected officer, candidate, committee or other person may choose not to use the electronic filing system by filing all original statements, reports, forms, or other documents in paper format with the City Clerk. 4. The date of filing for a statement, report, or other document that is filed online or electronically shall be the day that it is received by the City Clerk, and the electronic system will provide confirmation with a timestamp ensuring that the statement, report, or other document was received. 5. If access to online filings has not been prescribed in a timely manner, the elected city officer, candidate, or committee may file an original statement by paper, at the discretion of the City Clerk. 6. The provisions of this subsection shall apply only to persons or combinations of persons who qualify as a committee under Section 82013 of the Political Reform Act. 7. The City Clerk is authorized to establish such administrative policies and procedures as deemed necessary to implement these requirements." SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days from its passage and adoption. SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance and shall cause the same to be published as required by law. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 141h day of July 2020. ATTEST: CITY CLERK DATE MAYOR Page 2 of 3 Packet Pg. 122 13.a STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, Mary Cusick, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance 20- was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 23rd day of June 2020. That thereafter, said ordinance was duly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 141h day of July 2020, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: NOES: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCIL,MEMBERS: AND I FURTHER CERTIFY that the foregoing is the original of Ordinance No. 20- and was published in The Signal newspaper in accordance with State Law (G.C. 40806). CITY CLERK Page 3 of 3 Packet Pg. 123