Berkeley Municipal Code Art. 1 General Provisions

This chapter shall be known as the Berkeley Lobbyist Registration Act, hereafter "the Act." (Ord. 7749-NS, 2021; Ord. 7629-NS § 1 (part), 2018)

A. Democracy in our representative form of government requires that the public have an opportunity to know as much as possible what lobbying efforts are taking place that may affect decisions being made by our elected officials, City staff, boards, and commissions.

B. To the extent possible, it is the government’s responsibility to balance the responsibility to ensure the health, safety, and general welfare of the public at large in a fiscally and environmentally sustainable manner. (Ord. 7749-NS, 2021; Ord. 7629-NS § 1 (part), 2018)

Therefore, the purpose of this ordinance is to codify certain existing practices, as well as to adopt new practices, to ensure that the public has an adequate opportunity to be informed of the City’s activities and to communicate its concerns to its elected and appointed officials. (Ord. 7749-NS, 2021; Ord. 7629-NS § 1 (part), 2018)