Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code Ch. 2.54 Electronic Filing of Campaign Disclosure Information

This chapter provides standards for the development and use of the electronic filing system to further ensure compliance with the requirements of the state fair political practices commission.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.010; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.010), 8-17-2021)

A. Except as set forth in subsection B of this section, any elected officer, candidate, committee other person required to file specified statements, reports, forms, or other documents with the city clerk as required by Government Code title 9, ch. 4 (Government Code § 84100 et seq.), also known as the Political Reform Act, and that has received contributions or made expenditures of $2,000.00 or more in a calendar year, may electronically file such statement using the city's online filing system according to procedures established by the city clerk. However, 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.

B. An elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person may opt-out of the electronic filing system by filing all original statements, reports, forms, or other documents in paper format with the city clerk. Thereafter, the elected officer, candidate, or committee shall file all original statements in paper format with the city clerk unless advance arrangements are made to begin filing electronically pursuant to subsection A of this section.

C. The online filing system shall ensure the integrity of the data transmitted and shall include safeguards against efforts to tamper with, manipulate, alter, or subvert the data.

D. The online or electronic filing system shall accept a filing in the standardized record format pursuant to Government Code § 84615(b).

(Code 1981, § 2.54.020; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.020), 8-17-2021)

Any elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person who has electronically filed a statement, report, form, or other document using the city's online system is not also required to file a copy of that document in a paper format with the city clerk.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.030; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.030), 8-17-2021)

In any instance in which an original statement, report, form, or other document must be filed with the secretary of State or other agency, and a copy of that document is required to be filed with the city clerk, the filer may electronically file a copy with the city clerk or may file in a paper format.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.040; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.040), 8-17-2021)

If, for technical reasons, the city's system is not capable of accepting a particular type of statement, report, form or other document, an elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person shall timely file that document in paper format with the city clerk.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.050; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.050), 8-17-2021)

Pursuant to Government Code § 84616, the city clerk shall ensure that the city's system makes all electronically filed statements, reports, forms, or other documents available on the internet in an easily understood format that provides the greatest public access. The data shall be made available free of charge and as soon as possible after receipt/deadline. The data made available on the internet shall not contain the street name and building number of the persons or entity representatives listed on the electronically filed forms or any bank account number required to be disclosed by the filer. The city clerk's office shall also make a complete, unredacted copy of the statement, report, form, or other document available to the fair political practices commission for Government Code § 87200 filers.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.060; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.060), 8-17-2021)

The city clerk's office shall maintain records according to the city's records retention schedule and applicable state law commencing from the date filed, a secured, official version of each online or electronic statement, report, form, or other document, which shall serve as the official version of that record.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.070; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.070), 8-17-2021)

The city clerk is authorized to adopt such administrative policies and procedures as deemed necessary to implement this chapter.

(Code 1981, § 2.54.080; Ord. No. 649, § 2(2.54.080), 8-17-2021)