AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2.78 OF THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: Section 2.78.060 of the Riverside Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows:
“Section 2.78.060 Prohibited conduct.
The following conduct is prohibited and shall be subject to the complaint procedures established in this chapter. It may be unethical for any public official to engage in one or more of the following prohibited actions:
A. Use of official title or position for personal gain prohibited. Public officials of the City of Riverside shall not use their official title or position for personal gain. Personal gain includes, but is not limited to, situations wherein a public official solicits or accepts items of value in consideration of their official title or position. This does not include obtaining benefits that are otherwise permitted or authorized by law. Therefore, acceptance of gifts shall otherwise be consistent with the requirements and limitations allowable by law. Public officials shall refrain from the following: (a) accepting gifts or favors that may compromise independent judgment or give the appearance of compromised judgment; (b) using official title for matters other than the official conduct of their office; and (c) engaging in decisions which would affect the level of compensation received for service except as otherwise required or allowed by law. . . .
M. Violations of local law prohibited. No public official of the City of Riverside shall intentionally or repeatedly violate the Charter of the City of Riverside, the Riverside Municipal Code, or any established policies of the City of Riverside affecting the operations of local government.
N. Convictions of federal or state law affecting their office prohibited. No public official of the City of Riverside shall be convicted, or enter a plea of no contest, of a violation of any state or federal law that affects the performance of their duties in the office that they hold.” Section 2: Section 2.78.075 of the Riverside Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows:
“Section 2.78.075 Pre-conference procedures.
A. The complainant may be permitted to submit one revised complaint to only add additional allegations of the prohibited conduct section of this chapter. This updated complaint must be submitted to the City Clerk following the established policies and procedures within 30 days of the original complaint being filed with the Clerk. The only amendment may be the addition of additional allegations of violations of the prohibited conduct section of this chapter. If an amended complaint is submitted to the City Clerk within the 30-day time frame, the City Clerk reviews the amended complaint in accordance with RMC Section 2.78.070. The time frames established in the RMC for actions by the City Clerk, hearing panel and Board of Ethics will be reset using the date that the amended complaint has been accepted and determined to be complete. The acceptance of the amended complaint is not deemed to be a continuance. . . .
D. Board of Ethics shall conduct a pre-conference prior to a hearing date being set by the City Clerk. All parties are to attend the pre-conference; however, the absence of any party at the pre-conference shall not be grounds for a continuance and the pre-conference shall proceed as if the absent party were present. The pre-conference shall be conducted as follows:
1. The Board of Ethics shall review the complaint to determine if it complies with all of the following to establish jurisdiction of the Board of Ethics:
. . .
9. The Board of Ethics may set time limits for the parties to present their evidence at the hearing on the complaint.
10. Appeals shall be only allowed in accordance with RMC Section 2.78.090(A).” Section 3: Section 2.78.080 of the Riverside Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows:
“Section 2.78.080 Hearing procedures.
The public official against whom the complaint is made shall file the following with the City Clerk no later than 20 calendar days prior to the date set for the hearing:
. . .
O. All findings shall be approved by a majority vote of the hearing panel and recorded by the City Clerk. The hearing panel may approve such findings at the conclusion of the hearing and direct the City Clerk to prepare the statement of findings or designate members of the hearing panel to prepare the statement of findings to include a recommendations for sanctions. If members of the hearing panel prepare the statement of findings, the hearing panel must consider and approve such findings within 30 City business days after the hearing, at a subsequent meeting of the hearing panel. . . .”
Section 4. The City Council has reviewed the matter and, by based upon the facts and information contained in the staff reports, administrative record, and written and oral testimony, hereby finds that this ordinance is not subject to CEQA pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3) and/or 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, in that it will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change.
Section 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with Section 414 of the Charter of the City of Riverside. This ordinance shall become effective on the 30th day after the date of its adoption.
ADOPTED by the City Council this _________ day of _____________, 2025. ________________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
/ /
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was duly and regularly introduced at a meeting of the City Council on the _______ day of _______________, 2024, and that thereafter the said ordinance was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council on the _________day of _____________, 2025, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this ________ day of ______________, 2025. ______________________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
FILENAME \p \* MERGEFORMAT \\Rc-citylaw\cycom\WPDOCS\D030\P041\00904031.DOC CA 24-2154 12/30/24
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MACROBUTTON None FirmName1_1 , MACROBUTTON None FirmLegalStatus1_1 CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE.
RIVERSIDE, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
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MACROBUTTON None FirmName1_1 , MACROBUTTON None FirmLegalStatus1_1 CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE., STE. 250
RIVERSIDE, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567