HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-09-09 - AGENDA REPORTS - LOBBYIST REGISTRATION (2)City Manager
Item to be presented
Councilmember Klajic
NEW BUSINESS
DATE: September 9, 1997
SUBJECT: LOBBYIST REGISTRATION
DEPARTMENT: City Council
BACKGROUND
In recent months, concern has been expressed that some individuals lobbying City Council
Members and providing testimony before the Council are not fully disclosing that they are
representing or speaking on behalf of other individuals, groups or organizations. Council
Member Klajic requests that the City Council consider establishment of a lobbyist registration
requirement for those persons representing others in their communications with Members of
the City Council, Commission Members and City staff.
Two approaches may be taken with this issue. First, a simple requirement which mandates
that individuals speaking before the City Council or Commissions or lobbying individual
Council Members, Commissioners or City staff, disclose any person, group or business entity
which they are representing. This can be done verbally or by requiring a written disclosure to
be filed with the City Clerk. This approach serves the purpose of disclosing representative
relationships without unduly burdening the City to conduct lobbyist ethics workshops, collect
filing fees, track filings, audit reports, investigate and enforce non-compliance.
The other option, which is employed by larger organizations such as the City of Los Angeles,
County of Los Angeles and State of California revolves around a more extensive disclosure.
Typical issues include defining who qualifies as a lobbyist, registration and/or filing fees,
quarterly activity disclosure outlining specific meetings or issues lobbied, report tracking and
auditing personnel, non-compliance investigation and fine structure and enforcement.
In a review of ten cities approximately the size of Santa Clarita, it was determined that none
of the cities has a lobbyist registration requirement. However, in the absence of such
requirement, individuals are under no legal obligation to disclose their representation of other
parties seeking to influence Council and Commission decisions. Another form of disclosure is
similar to that employed by the California Integrated Waste Management Board in which all
conversations and correspondence received outside the regular board or committee meetings
are reported during the meetings by the board member receiving the communications.
C�1Anued Ta -23
Council Member HIajic is recommending a simple registration and verbal statement identifying
that an individual is representing another individual(s), group or organization when lobbying
Council Members, Commission Members or City staff.
RECOMMENDATION
Discuss and provide direction to staff.
JK.MPM.kohbyreg.997