Record #: O2015-4685   
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
Intro date: 6/17/2015 Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics
Final action: 7/29/2015
Title: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-156 regarding governmental ethics
Sponsors: Emanuel, Rahm
Topic: MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 2 - City Government & Administration - Ch. 156 Governmental Ethics
Attachments: 1. O2015-4685.pdf
OFFICE  OF  THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
 
MAYOR
June 17,2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
At the request of the Executive Director of the Board of Ethics, I transmit herewith ordinance amending various provisions of Chapter 2-156 of the Municipal Code.
 
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
 
Mayor
 
 
Very truly yours,
 
ORDINANCE
 
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
 
 
SECTION 1.  Chapter 2-156 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by deleting the language struck through and by inserting the language underscored, as follows:
2-156-010 Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this chapter:
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(j)      "Employee" means an individual employed by the City of Chicago, whether part-time or full-time, but excludes elected officials and city contractors.
(i-0)    "Executive director" means the executive director of the board of ethics established in this chapter.
(j-1)    "Exempt position" means a position that is classified as exempt under the City's Hiring Plan, as amended from time to time, but excluding City Council employees.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(I) "Financial interest" means an interest held by an official or employee that is valued or capable of valuation in monetary terms with a current value of more than $1,000.00, provided that such interest shall not include: (1) the authorized compensation paid to an official or employee for any office or employment; or (2) a time or demand deposit in a financial institution; or (3) an endowment or insurance policy or annuity contract purchased from an insurance company; or (4) any ownership through purchase at fair market value or inheritance of the shares of a mutual fund corporation, regardless of the value of or dividends on such shares, if such shares are registered on a securities exchange pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or (5) any ownership through purchase at fair market value or inheritance of not more than $15,000.00 worth one-half of one percent of the outstanding common stock of the shares of a corporation, or any corporate subsidiary, parent or affiliate thereof, regardless of the dividends on such shares, if such shares are registered on a securities exchange pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such interest also 6hall not include any ownership by a current official or employee through purchase at fair market value or inheritance of less than one percent of the shares of a corporation, or any corporate subsidiary, parent or affiliate thereof, regardless of the value or dividends on such shares, if such shares are registered on a securities exchange pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a6 amended, and if such ownership existed before November 1, 2012.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
Page 1 of 14
 
 
(v-1)   "Prohibited political activity" means:
(1)     Preparing for, organizing, or participating in any political meeting, political rally, political demonstration, or other political event.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
  1. Campaigning for any elective office or for or against any referendum question.
  2. Managing or working on a campaign for elective office or for or against any referendum question.
  3. Serving as a delegate, alternate, or proxy to a political party convention.
  4. Participating in any recount or challenge to the outcome of any election.
 
 
2-156-017 Ethics officers.
  1. Each department head and alderman shall designate an appropriate management-level employee who shall serve as the department's or aldermanic office's ethics officer. Department heads and aldermen shall provide the names and contact information of such ethics officers to the board no later than January 1. 2013, or within 30 days from swearing in as a city alderman. A department head or alderman shall designate a new ethics officer within 30 days after the current ethics officer leaves the department or aldermanic office, or otherwise ceases to serve as an ethics officer, and shall provide to the board the name and contact information of the new ethics officer.
  2. In addition to their regular job duties, ethics officers shall have the following responsibilities:
  1. collect financial statement forms, if on paper, from reporting employees and officials, review such forms for completeness, and submit such forms to the board;
  2. assist the board by forwarding notices to employees regarding timely completion of ethics filings and training, and upon reguest provide the board with such notices;
(2-3)   direct ethics questions and issues to the board;
(34) assist the board in maintaining a current roster of employees and officials; (45)    provide answers to general ethics questions after consultation with the
board;
(§6) ensure compliance with ethics rules specifically applicable to their departments or aldermanic offices, and assist the board with respect to training responsibilities as identified in section 2-156-145 of this chapter;
(§7) emphasize the role of ethics within their departments or aldermanic offices through regular email updates and office posters, and leading periodic discussions on ethics during staff meetings;
 
 
Page 2 of 14
 
 
(7-8)    assist the board to identify employees or officials who can be outstanding ethics models for city employees and officials; and
(89)    generally serve as liaisons between their departments or aldermanic offices and the board.
(c) The board shall provide annual in-person training to ethics officers, and shall keep ethics officers informed of the board's latest ethics rulings. The board may also provide additional training and information to ethics officers as the board may deem appropriate.
 
 
2-156-060 City-owned Unauthorized use of real or personal city property.
No official or employee shall engage in or permit the unauthorized use of city-owned any real or personal property owned or leased by the city for city business.
 
 
2-156-070 Use or disclosure of confidential information.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(b) If any person requests the opinion of the board regarding past or ongoing conduct, and if the board determines, pursuant to its rules, that the conduct involves a minor violation of this chapter, the board may issue such person a letter of warning or admonition for the first such violation. However, if the board determines, pursuant to its rules, that the conduct involves a violation of this chapter which is not a minor violation or that the conduct involves a subsequent violation of the same conduct for which the person has been issued a letter of warning or admonition, the board shall advise such person to stop the conduct and inform the person of this subsection's timeline for self-reporting. Such person may, if the person wishes, conduct and self-report the violation to the appropriate investigating authority within 14 days. If the board finds that the person did not self-report the violation as instructed by the board within 14 days, the board shall provide the person's name, the violation reported, and all related information the board deems relevant, to the appropriate investigating authority. Except for purposes of investigations for subsequent violations of the same conduct, a letter of warning or admonition issued to a subject pursuant to this section shall be kept confidential. This subsection applies to conduct that occurred or is occurring on or after July 1, 2013.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
2-156-110 Interest in city business.
(a) Except with respect to the participation of Eligible Persons in Eligible Programs, no elected official or employee shall have a financial interest in his own name or in the name of any other person in any contract, work or business of the city, or in the sale of any article, whenever the expense, price or consideration of the contract, work, business or sale is paid with funds belonging to or administered by the city, or is authorized by ordinance; provided, however,
 
 
Page 3 of 14
 
 
for purposes of this subsection, any of the following shall not constitute a financial interest in any contract, work or business of the city.
(i) ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding common 6tock in any entity or its parent, subsidiary or affiliate, regardle66 of the value of dividends paid or accrued on such 6tock, and such stock is registered on a securities exchange pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(«)     compensation for property taken pursuant to the city's eminent domain
power; and
(tit) (ii) any interest of a relative which interest is related to or derived from the relative's independent occupation, business or profession.
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance) 2-156-111 Prohibited conduct.
 
(Omitted text is unaffected by this ordinance)
 
 
(d)(1) No city employee or official shall personally participate in a decision-making capacity, make or participate in the making of any governmental decision for a period of two years from the date of employment or becoming a city official, in a matter that benefits his or her immediate former employer or immediate former client who the employee or official represented or on whose behalf he or she acted as a consultant or lobbyist, prior to commencing his or her city employment or prior to becoming a city official, unless such employee or official has completely severed any ties with that former employer or client that would confer, or have the potential to confer, a monetary benefit on the employee or official. For purposes of this subsection, publicly traded securities or income therefrom, and vested benefits in a retirement plan, shall not be considered a monetary benefit.
(2) No city employee or official shall personally participate in any capacity in a matter on behalf of the City if the official or employee participated personally and substantially in that matter for his or her immediate former business or immediate former employer or immediate former client who the employee or official represented or on whose behalf he or she acted as a consultant or lobbyist, prior to commencing his or her city employment or prior to becoming a city official.
 
 
2-156-140 Solicitation or acceptance of political contributions and membership on political fundraising committees.
(a) No official or employee shall compel, coerce or intimidate any city official or employee to make, refrain from making or solicit any political contribution. No official or employee shall knowingly solicit any political contribution from any other employee or official over whom he or she has supervisory authority. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any official or employee from voluntarily making or soliciting an otherwise permissible contribution or from receiving an otherwise permissible voluntary contribution, except as set
Page 4 of 14
 
 
forth in this section or in Sections 2-156-445, 2-92-410 and 2-156-320, as amended, of the Municipal Code.
  1. No non-elected city employee or non-elected official shall knowingly solicit or accept any political contribution from a person doing business or seeking to do business with the city. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a non- elected city employee or non-elected official who is a candidate for public office may solicit or accept political contributions on behalf of his or her own candidacy from a person doing business or seeking to do business with the city, subject to the same restrictions as are applicable to elected city officials.
  2. No person with contract management authority shall serve on any political fundraising committee.
 
 
2-156-142 Offering, receiving and soliciting of gifts or favors.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(d)     The restriction in subsection (a) shall not apply to the following:
  1. Any opportunity, benefit, loan, or service that is available to members of the public on the same terms.
  2. Anything for which the city official, candidate for city office, or employee pays the fair market value.
  3. Any lawful campaign contribution, provided that such campaign contribution is properly reported to the extent required by law; or activities associated with any fund-raising event in support of a political organization or candidate.
  4. Any gift from a relative.
  5. Any gift from an official superior as the term "official superior" is defined in section 2-156-143 of this chapter.
  6. Any gift from a personal friend, unless the official, candidate for city office, or employee has reason to believe that, under the circumstances, the gift was given because of the official position, candidacy or employment of the official, candidate for city office, or employee.
  7. Any bequest, inheritance, or other transfer at death.
  8. Any gift that is given to, or is accepted on behalf of the city, provided that any person receiving the gift on the city's behalf shall immediately report to the board and to the comptroller, who shall add such gift to an inventory of the city's property.
  9. Any award for public service, provided that such award is not cash, a gift card, or a cash equivalent.
  10. Any material or travel expense for meetings related to a public or governmental educational purpose, provided that any such travel expense has been approved in advance by the board, and further provided that such travel expense is reported to the board within 10 days of completion thereof.
 
Page 5 of 14
 
  1. Any food, refreshment, lodging, transportation, or other benefit resulting from the outside business, employment or community activities of the official, candidate for city office, or employee, if such benefits have not been offered or enhanced because of the official position, candidacy or employment of the officer, candidate for city office, or employee, and are customarily provided to others in similar circumstances.
  2. Reasonable hosting, including travel and expenses, entertainment, meals or refreshments furnished in connection with meetings, public events, appearances or public events or ceremonies related to official city business, if furnished by the sponsor of such meeting or public event or ceremony, and further provided that such travel and expenses, entertainment, meals or refreshments have been approved in advance by the board and are reported to the board within 10 days of acceptance thereof.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
2-156-143 Employee-to-employee gifts.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(d)     The restriction in subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to the following:
  1. On an occasional basis, including any occasion on which gifts are traditionally given or exchanged such as birthdays or holidays, the following may be given to an official superior or accepted from a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay:
    1. Items, other than cash but including gift cards, with an aggregate market value of $10.00 or less per occasion;
    2. Items such as food and refreshments to be shared in the office among several employees;
    3. Personal hospitality provided at a residence which is of a type and value customarily provided by the employee to personal friends; or
    4. Items given in connection with the receipt of personal hospitality if of a type and value customarily given on such occasions.
  2. A gift appropriate to the occasion may be given to an official superior or accepted from a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay:
    1. In recognition of infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance such as marriage, illness, or the birth or adoption of a child; or
    2. Upon occasions that terminate a subordinate-official superior relationship, such as retirement, resignation, or transfer.
  2. An employee may solicit a voluntary contribution of no more than $20.00 from a fellow employee for an appropriate gift to an official superior and an employee may make a voluntary contribution of $20.00 or less to an appropriate gift to an official superior:
 
 
Page 6 of 14
 
  1. On a special, infrequent occasion as described in subsection (d)(2) of this section; or
  2. On an occasional basis, for items such as food and refreshments to be shared in the office among several employees.
An employee may accept such gifts to which a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay than himself has contributed.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
2-156-150 Statements of financial interest.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
  1. The board shall create, maintain, and update a list of reporting employees and officials. In creating or updating such list, the board, in consultation with the Department of Human Resources, shall first develop a list of relevant factors, such as the employee's contract management authority and the employee's likelihood of being involved in conflicts of interest issues.
  2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), each reporting individual shall file, within 30 days of becoming a reporting individual and by May 4«t 3lf of each year thereafter, a verified written statement of financial interests in accordance with the provisions of this article, unless he has already filed a statement in that calendar year.
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(f) No appointed official or employee 6hall be allowed to take the oath of office or enter or continue his duties, nor shall receive compensation from the city, unless he has filed a statement of financial interests with the board of ethics as required by this chapter.
 
 
2-156-160 Content of statements.
(a)     Statements of financial interests shall contain the following information:
  1. The name, address and type of any professional, business or other organization (other than the city) in which the reporting individual was an officer, director, associate, partner, proprietor or employee, or served in any advisory capacity, and from which any income in excess of $1,000.00 was derived during the preceding calendar year, and the category of such income as specified in subsection (b);
  2. The nature of any professional, business or other services rendered by the reporting individual or by his or her spouse or domestic partner, or by any entity in which the reporting individual or his or her spouse or domestic partner has a financial interest, including
 
Page 7 of 14
 
 
the category of such financial interest as specified in subsection (b), the name and nature of the person or entity (other than the city) to whom or to which such services were rendered, and the category of the compensation as specified in subsection (b) if, during the preceding calendar year, (i) compensation in excess of $5,000.00 was received for professional or other services by the reporting individual, or by such individual's spouse or domestic partner, or by an entity in which the reporting individual or his or her spouse or domestic partner has a financial interest and (ii) the person or entity was doing business with the city, or with the Chicago Transit Authority, Board of Education, including the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees, Chicago Park District, Chicago City Colleges or the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.
  1. The identity of any capital asset, including the address or legal description of real estate, and the category of the capital gain realized as specified in subsection (b), from which the reporting individual realized a capital gain of $5,000.00 or more in the preceding calendar year other than from the sale of the reporting individual's principal place of residence;
  2. The name of any unit of government, other than the city, which employed the reporting individual during the preceding calendar year;
  3. The name of any board on which the reporting individual serves and the position of the reporting individual in such board;
  4. The name of any covered relative or domestic partner of the reporting individual who is registered as a lobbyist with the board or who is an employee or full or part-owner of a city contractor;
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
2-156-190 Failure to file statement by deadline.
(a) If any person who is required to file a statement of financial interest pursuant to section 2-156-150(c) fails to file such a statement by April 15th, the board of ethics shall, within five business days after April 15th, notify such person of the May 4st 31^ deadline. If any person fails to file a statement of financial interest by May 15th, the board of ethics shall notify such person within five business days after May 15th of his failure to file by the specified date. Failure to file by May 31st shall constitute a violation of this chapter, except as provided in subsection (c).
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
2-156-200 Failure to file financial statements - Elected officials.
No elected official, or person appointed to be an elected official, shall be allowed to take the oath of office, continue office or receive compensation from the city unless he has filed the statement of financial interest required by this chapter.
 
 
2-156-260 Inactive lobbyists.
Registrants who received no compensation and made no expenditures during a six-month three-month reporting period shall nevertheless file reports as required herein. Such reports shall state that no compensation was received and no expenditures were made during the reporting period.
Page 8 of 14
 
 
2-156-380 Powers and duties.
In addition to other powers and duties specifically mentioned in this chapter, the board of ethics shall have the following powers and duties:
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(d) to require the cooperation of city agencies, officials, employees and other persons whose conduct is regulated by this chapter, in implementing its duties pursuant to this chapter; in investigating alleged violations of this chapter. Information reasonably related to an investigation shall be made available to the board by such persons on written request;
(d-1) to adopt, in consultation with the investigating authorities, and disseminate a summary of all rules and laws setting forth the rights of officials and employees as provided in Chapters 2-55, 2-56 and 2-156;
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(h-1) To return to the investigating authority investigative reports submitted to it for a finding of probable cause pursuant to section 2-156-385 for additional investigation or clarification;
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
(I) to render advisory opinions with respect to the provisions of this chapter based upon a real or hypothetical set of circumstances, when requested in writing by an official or employee, or by a person who is personally and directly involved. Advisory opinions shall be made available to the public, but the identity of the person requesting the opinion and of any person whose conduct is involved in the set of circumstances described in the request for the opinion shall be confidential. The board shall indicate, in writing, those advisory opinions that have precedential value, and organize such opinions in a searchable database that is accessible from the board's website. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit the executive director from issuing informal advisory opinions in accordance with rules promulgated by the board;
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance) Page 9 of 14
 
 
(n-1) to review campaign finance or lobbyist filings for compliance with Article VI of this Chapter, and to refer potential violations discovered by such review to the appropriate investigating authority as a complaint;
(o) to recommend polices policies, procedures and practices designed to ensure compliance with any federal, state or local law or regulation or any of the city's compliance-related polices and internal controls.
 
 
2-156-385 Probable cause finding.
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(2) When requesting a probable cause finding, the investigating authority shall provide to the board a final investigative report summary summarizing of his its investigation, which shall include all evidence supporting its findings evidence and recommendation, and include an index describing the evidence gathered during the investigation.
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
 
2-156-392 Hearing on the merits - Fines.
(a) If the board determines pursuant to Section 2-156-385 to pursue an action for a fine, a hearing on the merits shall be held on the matter no less than 60 days after that determination, as follows:
  1. A hearing on the merits shall be held in a closed session, to the extent allowable under applicable law, before a hearing officer.
  2. The corporation counsel or his designee shall be the prosecutor in proceedings conducted pursuant to this section or any hearing reopened pursuant to Section 2-156-396. The prosecutor shall prepare a statement of charges, which shall be served upon the subject of the hearing (for purposes of this section and Section 2-156-396, "respondent") within 30 days of the board's determination to pursue an action for a fine with: (i) a list of all witnesses the city may call at the hearing; (ii) a copy of all documents the city intends to introduce at the hearing; (iii) any potentially exculpatory material in the city's possession from the investigating authority's investigation; and (iv) a notice of the hearing setting the date of the hearing. The
Page 10 of 14
 
 
prosecutor may request, as a matter of right, a one-time extension of up to 30 days of the date of serving the statement of charges. The hearing officer may grant any subsequent request for extension by the prosecutor only upon a showing of good cause. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or divest the prosecutor of the discretion not to file charges, if in the prosecutor's judgment, the evidence in the record does not support the charges.
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
2-156-396 Request for reconsideration and appeal.
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
 
(c) The final decision of the board imposing a fine i6 subject to administrative review under the Illinois Administrative Review Law, codified at 735 ILCS 5/3-101, et seq., the provisions of which are adopted and incorporated by reference and made a part of this section as if fully set forth herein shall be subject to judicial review in accordance with applicable law.
 
 
 
2-156-400 Confidentiality.
Adjudications conducted by and advisory opinions issued by and Complaints complaints to the board and investigations determinations and recommendations thereon shall be confidential, except as provided in this chapter or as necessary to carry out powers and duties of the board or to enable another person or agency to consider and act upon the notices and recommendations of the board; provided that, without identifying the person complained against or the specific transaction, the board may (a) comment publicly on the disposition of its requests such matters and recommendations and (b) publish summary opinions to inform city personnel and the public about the interpretation of provisions of this chapter.
 
 
 
2-156-402 Waivers.
(a)     When requested by a city official or employee, the board may grant a waiver from compliance with any of the following:
(1)     The gift restrictions in Section 2-156-142(a) to the extent they apply to material or travel expense expenses for meetings;
 
Page 11 of 14
 
  1. The post-employment restrictions provided in Sections 2-156-100 and 2-
156-105;
  1. The interest in city business restrictions provided in Section 2-156-110;
and
  1. The restrictions pertaining to matters related to a city official's or employee's immediate former employer or client as provided in Section 2-156-111 (d).
(b) Any waiver shall be in accordance with rules adopted by the board, in writing and shall be made publicly available.
2-156-445 Limitation of contributing to candidates and elected officials.
(a) No person who has done business with the city, or with the Chicago Transit Authority, Board of Education, including the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees, Chicago Park District, Chicago City Colleges, or Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority within the preceding four reporting years or is seeking to do business with the city, or with any of the other aforementioned entities, and no lobbyist registered with the board of ethics shall make contributions in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,500.00: (i) to any candidate for city office during a single candidacy; or (ii) to an elected official of the government of the city during any reporting year of his term; or (iii) to any official or employee of the city who is seeking election to any other office. For purposes of this section all contributions to a candidate's authorized political committees shall be considered contributions to the candidate. A reporting year shall be from January 1st to December 31st. For purposes of this subsection only "seeking to do business" means: (i) the definition set forth in Section 2-156-010(x); and (ii) any matter that was pending before the city council or any city council committee in the six months prior to the date of the contribution if that matter involved the award of loan funds, grant funds or bond proceeds, bond inducement ordinances, leases, land sales, zoning matters, the creation of tax increment financing districts, concession agreements or the establishment of a Class 6(b) Cook County property tax classification.
 
 
 
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
(c) For purposes of subsection (a) above, a contribution to: (i) any political fund-raising committee of a candidate for city office or elected official, official; or (ii) any political fundraising committee which, during the reporting year in which the contribution is to be made, has itself made contributions or given financial support in excess of 50 percent of that committee's total receipts for the reporting year to a particular candidate for city office, elected official, or the authorized fundraising committee of that candidate or elected official, shall be considered a contribution to that candidate or elected official.
(Omitted text is not affected by this ordinance)
 
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2-156-465 Sanctions.
  1. Employment sanction. In addition to any other applicable penalty provided in this article, any employee found to have violated any of the provisions of this chapter, or to have knowingly furnished false or misleading information to the board of ethics, shall be subject to employment sanctions, including discharge, in accordance with procedures under which the employee may otherwise be disciplined. Any official who knowingly files a false or misleading statement of financial interests, or knowingly fails to file a statement within the time prescribed in this chapter, or otherwise violates any provision of this chapter, shall be subject to removal from office.
  2. Fines. The following fines shall, as appropriate, apply to violations of this chapter:
  1. Failure to complete ethics training. Any employee or official who violates section 2-156-145 and any lobbyist who violates section 2-156-146 shall be fined not less than $200.00 nor more than $750.00 for each such violation. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense to which a separate fine shall apply. The board shall also make public, in a manner that the board may deem appropriate, the names of lobbyists, employees and officials who failed to complete a mandatory ethics training on time.
  2. Failure to file a statement of financial interests. Any reporting person who violates section 2-156-190 shall be fined $250 for each such violation. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense to which a separate fine shall apply. The board shall also make public, in a manner that the board may deem appropriate, the names of reporting persons who failed to file statements of financial interests on time.
  3. Failure to register or file reports by lobbyists. Any lobbyist who violates section 2-156-245 or section 2-156-270 shall be fined $1,000.00 for each such violation. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense to which a separate fine shall apply. Any lobbyist who violates any provision of Article IV of this chapter shall be subject to the suspension of his lobbyist registration. The board shall also make public, in a manner the board deems appropriate, the names of lobbyists who violate Section 2-156-245 or 2-156-270 and fine assessed.
  4. Violating the gift ban or the prohibited political activity sections. Any person who violates section 2-156-142 or section 2-156-135 shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000.00 and not more than $5,000.00 for each violation.
  5. Improper contributions. Any person who knowingly makes, solicits or accepts a political contribution in violation of section 2-156-140 or section 2-156-445 shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000.00 and up to the higher of $5,000.00 or three times the amount of the improper contribution that was accepted for each violation of these sections.
  6. Obstruction of an investigation False, frivolous, or bad faith allegation. Any person who intentionally obstructs or interferes with an investigation conducted by the board, or who intentionally makes a false, frivolous, or bad faith allegation to the board efHfi relation to such investigation shall be fined not less than $500.00 and up to $5,000.00 for each offense, and, if such person is a city contractor, shall be subject to termination of a contract.
  7. Violation of Chapter provisions. Any person who violates any other provision of this chapter, where no other fine is specifically provided, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than $2,000.00 for each offense.
 
Page 13 of 14
 
 
(c) The board may recommend an employment sanction or impose a fine for any violation of this chapter in accordance with Section 2-156-385 or Section 2-156-392, respectively.
 
 
 
SECTION 2.  This ordinance shall take effect upon passage and approval.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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