City Manager’s Office
www.santa-ana.org/cm
Item # 26
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
May 20, 2025
TOPIC: Ordinance Adding Article XII Entitled Disclosure of Certain Enforcement Actions to Chapter 2 of the Sana Ana Municipal Code Requiring Disclosure of Federal Election Commission and California Fair Political Practices Commission Enforcement Actions
AGENDA TITLE
Ordinance Adding Article XII Entitled Disclosure of Certain Enforcement Actions to Chapter 2 of the Sana Ana Municipal Code Requiring Disclosure of Federal Election Commission and California Fair Political Practices Commission Enforcement Actions
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Conduct a first reading and adopt an ordinance adding Article XII entitled Disclosure of Certain Enforcement Actions to Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code requiring disclosure of Federal Election Commission and California Fair Political Practices Commission enforcement actions:
ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADDING ARTICLE XII ENTITLED DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TO CHAPTER 2 OF THE SANTA ANA
MUNICIPAL CODE REQUIRING DISCLOSURE OF FEDERAL ELECTION
COMMISSION AND CALIFORNIA FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS FOR CERTAIN LICENSES, PERMITS OR OTHER
ENTITLEMENTS FOR USE
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
The proposed ordinance requires that any party or participant involved in the application for a license, permit, or entitlement for use disclose final enforcement actions taken by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) or the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). These disclosures are aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the process of granting entitlements within the City. This amendment will ensure that the public is informed about any prior enforcement actions related to political campaign finance, which is crucial for maintaining trust in the city's licensing and entitlement processes.
Ordinance Requiring Disclosure of Federal Election Commission and California Fair Political Practices Commission Enforcement Actions
May 20, 2025
5 0
6 4
Consistent with State and Federal Regulations, by aligning with California Government Code and federal law, this amendment ensures consistency with broader regulatory frameworks governing political conduct and enforcement in the City of Santa Ana.
Additionally, including the enforcement disclosure in public notices and staff reports, and requiring oral disclosure during public meetings, ensures that the community is fully informed when reviewing applications for licenses or entitlements.
The ordinance establishes penalties for failure to disclose, which may be pursued as either misdemeanors or infractions, at the discretion of the City Attorney or citing officer.
This flexibility in enforcement provides the City with a range of tools to address violations of the disclosure requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
The implementation of this ordinance is expected to have minimal fiscal impact. The primary costs will be associated with notifying applicants and ensuring compliance. City staff will need to review applications for the required disclosures and may need to make minor updates to public notices and staff reports. The ordinance does not require significant new infrastructure or resources.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Ordinance Requiring Disclosure of Federal Election Commission and California Fair Political Practices Commission Enforcement Actions Submitted By: Sylvia Vazquez, Deputy City Manager
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager