REPORT TO GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS COMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Update on Review of SCSC Chapter 2.155 ("Regulation of Lobbying Activities") and SCSC Chapter 2.160 ("Calendars of Certain City Officials")
Report
BACKGROUND
At the March 4, 2024 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting, staff provided information on an item carried over from the June 7, 2021 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting when the former City Attorney presented on the Lobbyist Ordinance and Calendaring Ordinance which included recommendations as outlined in the report to the Committee (Attachment 1). Due to the transition of staff, this item was never placed on a City Council agenda. As a significant amount of time has passed, and the membership of the Committee has changed since June 2021, staff requested confirmation or alternative direction regarding the proposed amendments to SCSC Chapter 2.155 ("Regulation of Lobbying Activities") and SCSC Chapter 2.160 ("Calendars of Certain City Officials").
DISCUSSION
At the March 4, 2024 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting, the Committee discussed the past proposed amendments. Committee members also had questions regarding the enforcement of the lobbyist ordinance and the staffing requirements necessary to manage potential changes to public calendars or lobbying ordinances, which would also require reconciling lobbyist reporting with public calendars.
Based on the feedback from the Committee, staff will return to a future Governance and Ethics Committee meeting with additional information on the following:
* Staff to conduct a staffing analysis to determine the staffing needs for the enforcement of the lobbying ordinance.
* Staff conducts benchmarking to review other jurisdiction's ordinances to understand how comparable jurisdictions regulate in this area and to identify other best practices for enforceability.
* Staff to provide information and background on the determination of the lobbyist fee amount. At this time, through the Municipal Fee sc...
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