In enacting this chapter, council finds that the purpose of Glendale's city government is to serve its residents and that Glendale's residents have the right to know, monitor and control their government. In order to effectuate these rights, there must be transparency and trust. Transparency includes making information about the identity of persons, groups and entities which seek to influence city decisions, available to the public.
Council also finds that the residents of Glendale have the right to petition and influence their local government to secure their interests, a right effectuated by lobbying and protected by the First Amendment. While lobbying can assist the decision makers by providing them with information, undisclosed lobbying activities may undermine transparency and erode public trust in government.
The purpose of this chapter is to achieve complete public disclosure of the activities by and financing of lobbyists and those who employ lobbyists' services. The intent of this chapter is to strike a balance between these competing rights and interests: the right of the people to monitor their government's activities with the right of individuals and entities to petition their government.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
"City"
means the city of Glendale.
"City council"
means the Glendale city council pursuant to the City Charter.
"City official"
means any elected or appointed officer of the city of Glendale, any city employee appointed to serve as the director of a city department, and any city employee who is required to file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700). City official also includes any person appointed to a city board or commission.
"Client"
means any person, entity or organization that compensates a lobbyist tor lobbying or on whose behalf lobbying occurs.
"Compensation"
means any economic consideration for services rendered or to be rendered. Compensation includes, but is not limited to, payment, distribution, transfer, loan, deposit or promise of money, property, service, or anything of value.
"Contact/contacting"
means any direct or indirect communication with a city official by whether orally, in writing, or electronically.
"Lobbying" or "lobbies"
means influencing or attempting to influence any city official through either direct or indirect communication for the purpose of influencing a legislative or administrative action.
"Lobbyist"
means any individual who receives any compensation by being employed, retained or under contract for the purposes of communicating with any city official for the purpose of influencing a legislative or administrative action. "Lobbyist" includes an employee(s) of a business or organization whose principal job duties include lobbying on behalf of his or her employer; for the purposes of this chapter, such employee(s) shall be deemed a lobbyist and shall be subject to the provisions herein if he or she is engaged in lobbying of city officials. For purposes of actions to be taken pursuant to this chapter, the term "lobbyist" includes "lobbyist firm." "Lobbyist" does not include city contractors and those seeking city contracts through bids or proposals.
"Lobbyist firm"
means a business entity that receives or becomes entitled to receive any compensation for the purpose of lobbying as defined herein and employs one or more lobbyists.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
A. 
Lobbyists and lobbyist firms shall register with the city clerk by completing the appropriate city forms, no later than 10 days after qualifying as a lobbyist or lobbyist firm and prior to conducting any lobbying activities within the city. Any lobbyist who receives compensation solely by virtue of his or her employment or retention through a lobbyist firm, shall not be required to individually register as a lobbyist if the lobbyist firm has registered and listed the individual as a person employed or retained by the lobbyist firm to engage in lobbyist activities. An individual qualifies as a lobbyist, and an entity or organization qualifies as a lobbyist firm, upon the earlier of:
1. 
The date that the lobbyist or lobbyist firm becomes employed, retained or under contract for the purpose of lobbying a city official; or
2. 
The receipt of compensation by the lobbyist or lobbyist firm.
B. 
All lobbyist registrations shall contain the following information:
1. 
The lobbyist's full name, business address, telephone number and email address;
2. 
The name, business address and telephone number of any individual or entity by whom the lobbyist is retained, employed, or with whom the lobbyist contracts to perform lobbying services in the city;
3. 
The amount received or to be received by the lobbyist from each client; and
4. 
A description of the subject matter of the lobbyist's engagement.
C. 
All lobbyist firm registrations shall contain the following information:
1. 
The lobbyist firms name, business address, telephone number and email address;
2. 
The names of all owners, partners or shareholders in the lobbyist firm;
3. 
The name of each person employed or retained by the lobbyist firm to engage in lobbying activities;
4. 
The name, business address and telephone number of any individual or entity by whom the lobbyist firm is employed or with whom the lobbyist firm contracts to perform lobbyist services in the city;
5. 
The amount received or to be received by the lobbyist firm from each client; and
6. 
A description of the subject matter of the lobbyist engagement.
E. 
Lobbyist registrations shall be renewed annually between January 1st and January 31st of each year.
F. 
If any changes occur concerning any of the information required by this section, the lobbyist or lobbyist firm shall file an amendment reflecting the change within 10 days of the change.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
A. 
A lobbyist or lobbyist firm shall file a quarterly report for every calendar quarter during which the lobbyist or lobbyist firm retains that status with the city no later than 15 calendar days after the end of the qualifying quarter, whether or not lobbying activities have occurred during such period. The quarterly reports shall be filed with the city clerk. Electronic quarterly reporting may be permitted at the discretion of the city clerk.
B. 
Quarterly reports must be filed by April 15, July 15, October 15 and January 15 for the prior calendar quarter.
C. 
Each quarterly report must contain the same information as required to be disclosed in the registration report, as well as the following information:
1. 
The total compensation promised or received from each client during the reporting period for lobbying activity within the following ranges: $0.00—$500.00, $501.00—$1,000.00, $1,001.00—$10,000.00, $10,001.00—$100,000.00, over $100,000.00.
2. 
Contacts made with city officials during the preceding calendar quarter for the purpose of lobbying legislative or administrative action. Contact information must include a brief description of the items of legislative or administrative action the lobbyist or lobbyist firm is seeking to influence and the number of contact in the following ranges: 1, 2—5, 6—10, 11 or over.
3. 
Activity expenses such as payments that directly benefit any city official or members of their immediate family or domestic partner made during the preceding calendar quarter. Activity shall not include campaign contributions, but shall include gifts, salaries, and other forms of compensation.
D. 
Records pertaining to the registration and quarterly reports must be preserved by the lobbyist or lobbyist firm for inspection and audit by the city for a period of five years from the date of production.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
A lobbyist or lobbyist firm shall not do any of the following:
A. 
Intentionally deceive or attempt to deceive a city official as to any material fact pertinent to any proposed or pending city decision;
B. 
Act or refrain from acting with the purpose and intent of placing a city official under personal obligation to the lobbyist or lobbyist firm;
C. 
Cause any communication to be sent to a city official in the name of a fictitious person, group or entity or in the name of a real person, group or entity without their consent;
D. 
Represent directly or indirectly that the lobbyist can control or obtain a vote or action of any city council member or city official.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
The following are exempt from the requirements of this chapter:
A. 
A public official acting in the public official's capacity;
B. 
Persons engaged in creating, publishing or broadcasting news items, editorials, commentaries and similar communications;
C. 
Any communication by an attorney with regard to the attorney's representation of a party or potential party to a pending or actual litigation, or to a pending or actual administrative enforcement proceeding, brought by or against the city, or city agent, officer or employee;
D. 
Persons whose attempts to influence government action are limited to appearing at public meetings or preparing, processing or submitting writings for consideration of use at public meetings if their communications are part of the public records;
E. 
Persons representing themselves in attempting to obtain decisions relating to their own properties or businesses; and
F. 
Persons whose communications relate solely to a memorandum of understanding or collective bargaining agreement between the city and its employee organizations.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
For architects, engineers, or other design professionals retained primarily for the purpose of preparing plans, drawings, schematics, designs or other technical documents in conjunction with applications for city discretionary entitlements, including, but not limited to, design review, conditional use permits, variances, and parking exceptions, the following requirements apply:
A. 
Except as it pertains to lobbying of members of the city council and boards and commissions, when the discretionary entitlement is set for public hearing before the council or applicable board or commission (as established by the giving of the first notice required by law), the architect, engineer and/or design professional shall be required to register in compliance with this chapter prior to any further contact or lobbying of city staff.
B. 
Any lobbying or contact by architects, engineers, or other design professionals with members of the city council or boards or commissions outside of public meetings shall not occur unless the architect, engineer or design professional has complied with the lobbyist registration requirements of this chapter.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
Registration shall be for a period of one calendar year and shall be renewed with the city clerk on an annual basis between January 1st and January 31st of each year.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
The city council shall have the discretion to establish and set annual registration, renewal and related fees and thereafter periodically adjust said annual registration fees in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of administering this chapter. All fees and adjustments shall be by resolution adopted by the city council.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
Lobbyists may file a written notice of termination with the city clerk within 10 days after ceasing all activity requiring registration per this chapter.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
Any violation of any rule or regulation implementing this chapter shall be punishable in accordance with Section 2.35.120.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)
A. 
Criminal Penalty. Any person who is convicted of violating this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not greater than $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than 180 days, or by both fine and imprisonment.
B. 
Civil Action. The provisions of this chapter may be enforced by means of a civil action for injunctive and other relief, including statutory damages. In a civil action, any person determined to have violated this chapter may be held liable for statutory damages in an amount of up to $10,000 and for such reasonable attorneys' fees and costs as may be awarded by the court.
C. 
Administrative Enforcement. The provisions of this chapter may also be enforced through the issuance of administrative citations and the imposition of administrative fines to be set by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. 5947 § 3, 2020)