(a) Upon mutual agreement between the Commission and the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino, the Commission is authorized to assume primary responsibility for the impartial, effective administration, implementation, and enforcement of a local campaign finance reform ordinance passed by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino. The Commission is authorized to be the civil prosecutor responsible for the civil enforcement of that local campaign finance reform ordinance in accordance with this title. As the civil prosecutor of the County of San Bernardino’s local campaign finance reform ordinance, the Commission may do both of the following:
(1) Investigate possible violations of the local campaign finance reform ordinance.
(2) Bring administrative actions in accordance with this title and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2.
(b) Any local campaign finance reform ordinance of the County of San Bernardino enforced by the Commission pursuant to this section shall comply with this title.
(c) The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino shall consult with the Commission prior to adopting and amending any local campaign finance reform ordinance that is subsequently enforced by the Commission pursuant to this section.
(d) (1) The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino and the Commission may enter into any agreements necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section, including agreements pertaining to any necessary reimbursement of state costs with county funds for costs incurred by the Commission in administering, implementing, or enforcing a local campaign finance reform ordinance pursuant to this section.
(2) An agreement entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall not contain any form of a cancellation fee, a liquidated damages provision, or other financial disincentive to the exercise of the right to terminate the agreement pursuant to subdivision (e), except that the Commission may require the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino to pay the Commission for services rendered and any other expenditures reasonably made by the Commission in anticipation of services to be rendered pursuant to the agreement in the event that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino terminates the agreement.
(e) The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino or the Commission may, at any time, by ordinance or resolution, terminate any agreement made pursuant to this section for the Commission to administer, implement, or enforce a local campaign finance reform ordinance or any provision thereof.
(f) If an agreement is entered into pursuant to this section, the Commission shall report to the Legislature regarding the performance of that agreement on or before January 1, 2017, and shall submit that report in compliance with Section 9795. The Commission shall develop the report in consultation with the County of San Bernardino. The report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) The status of the agreement.
(2) The estimated annual cost savings, if any, for the County of San Bernardino.
(3) A summary of relevant annual performance metrics, including measures of utilization, enforcement, and customer satisfaction.
(4) Any public comments submitted to the Commission or the County of San Bernardino relative to the operation of the agreement.
(5) Any legislative recommendations.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 202, Sec. 1. (AB 2558) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018