Contents of Quarterly Disclosure Report
San Diego Municipal Code § 27.4017
in effect§27.4017 Contents of Quarterly Disclosure Report
(a) Each lobbying firm’s quarterly disclosure report shall contain the following information:
(1) the lobbying firm’s name, address, and telephone number.
(2) the name, business or mailing address, and telephone number of each client registered by the lobbying firm during the reporting period (except that if the client is a coalition or membership organization, such identifying information need not be disclosed for any of its members who also qualify as clients under section 27.4002), along with the following information for that client:
(A) the total compensation, rounded to the nearest $1,000, that the lobbying firm became entitled to receive from that client during the reporting period for lobbying activities related to lobbying contacts that (i) took place during the reporting period, or
(ii) took place on a contingency fee basis during a prior reporting period. The lobbying firm shall also state whether it lobbied on a contingency basis during the reporting period without becoming entitled to receive the contingent amount from the client.
(B) the specific municipal decision(s) for which the lobbying firm lobbied on behalf of the client during the reporting period, and the outcome(s) sought by the client;
(C) the name and department of each City Official who was subject to lobbying by the lobbying firm with regard to that specific municipal decision;
(D) the name of each lobbyist employed by the lobbying firm who engaged in lobbying with regard to that specific municipal decision; and,
(E) if the lobbying firm did not engage in any lobbying for the client during the reporting period, a statement to that effect shall be made instead of providing the information required by subsections (a)(2)(B) through (a)(2)(D).
(3) an itemization of activity expenses that includes the following:
(A) the date, amount, and description of any activity expense that exceeds $10 on any single occasion made by the lobbying firm or any of its lobbyists during the reporting period for the benefit of a single City Official or any member of a City Official’s immediate family;
(B) the name, title, and department of the City Official who benefited, or whose immediate family benefited, from the itemized activity expense;
(C) the name of each lobbyist who participated in making the activity expense;
(D) the name and address of the payee of each itemized activity expense; and,
(E) the name of the client, if any, on whose behalf each itemized activity expense was made.
(F) If an activity expense paid to a City Official or a member of a City Official’s immediate family is employment-related, such as an expense for salary, benefits, or contract services, the amount of the activity expense made during the reporting period may be expressed in a statement that it exceeded $10 but did not exceed $2,500, that it exceeded $2,500 but did not exceed $10,000, that it exceeded $10,000 but did not exceed $25,000, that it exceeded $25,000 but did not exceed $50,000, that it exceeded $50,000 but did not exceed $75,000, that it exceeded $75,000 but did not exceed $100,000, or that it exceeded $100,000.
(4) an itemization of any contributions totaling $100 or more made by the lobbying firm or any of its owners, officers, or lobbyists, or by any of its sponsored committees, during the reporting period to any of the following committees:
(A) a candidate’s election committee;
(B) a candidate-controlled ballot measure committee;
(C) a candidate’s (including an elected City Official’s) professional expense committee; or
(D) a committee primarily formed to support or oppose one or more candidates.
The itemization shall include the date and amount of each contribution and the name of the applicable committee.
(5) for each fundraising effort by an owner, officer, or lobbyist of the lobbying firm who engaged in fundraising activities during the reporting period:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who engaged in the fundraising activity;
(B) the name of the campaign committee benefiting from the fundraising activity;
(C) a description of the ballot measure, if any;
(D) the date(s) of the fundraising activity;
(E) a brief description of the fundraising activity; and
(F) the approximate amount of (i) all contributions personally delivered by the owner, officer, or lobbyist to the candidate or committee; and (ii) all contributions for which the owner, officer, or lobbyist has identified himself or herself to the candidate or committee as having some degree of responsibility for raising.
(6) for each owner, officer, and lobbyist of the lobbying firm who personally provided campaign-related services to a candidate or a candidate-controlled committee during the reporting period in exchange for compensation or pursuant to a contingency fee agreement:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who provided the services;
(B) the candidate’s name, and the office sought by that candidate;
(C) the name of the candidate-controlled ballot measure committee and a description of the ballot measure, if applicable;
(D) the approximate amount of compensation earned during the reporting period for the services provided to the candidate or candidate-controlled committee; and,
(E) a description of the services provided.
(7) for each owner, officer, and lobbyist of the lobbying firm who personally provided compensated services under a contract with the City during the reporting period:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who provided the services;
(B) the name of the department, agency, or board for which the services were provided;
(C) the approximate amount of compensation earned during the reporting period for the services provided under the contract; and,
(D) a description of the services provided.
(8) a statement by a duly authorized owner or officer of the lobbying firm that he or she has reviewed the contents of the quarterly disclosure report and verified under penalty of perjury that based on personal knowledge or on information and belief, that he or she believes such contents to be true, correct, and complete.
(9) the printed name, title, and original signature of the individual making the statement required by subsection (a)(8).
(10) any other information required by regulation of the Enforcement Authority consistent with the purposes and provisions of this division, and as approved by the City Council.
(b) Each organization lobbyist’s quarterly disclosure report shall contain the following information:
(1) the organization lobbyist’s full name, address, and telephone number.
(2) for each municipal decision(s) for which the organization lobbyist engaged in lobbying during the reporting period:
(A) a description of the specific municipal decision, and the outcome sought by the organization lobbyist;
(B) the name and department of each City Official who was subject to lobbying by the organization lobbyist during the reporting period with regard to that specific municipal decision; and,
(C) the name of each owner, compensated officer, chairperson, or employee of the organization lobbyist who engaged in lobbying on behalf of the organization lobbyist during the reporting period with regard to that specific municipal decision; and,
(D) the total number of lobbying contacts with City Officials made on behalf of the organization lobbyist by the organization lobbyist’s owners, compensated officers, chairperson, or employees with regard to that specific municipal decision during the reporting period.
(3) an itemization of activity expenses that includes the following:
(A) the date, amount, and description of any activity expense that exceeds $10 on any single occasion made by the organization lobbyist or any of its lobbyists during the reporting period for the benefit of a single City Official or any member of a City Official’s immediate family;
(B) the name, title, and department of the City Official who benefited, or whose immediate family benefited, from the itemized activity expense;
(C) the name of each lobbyist who participated in making the activity expense; and,
(D) the name and address of the payee of each itemized activity expense.
(E) If an activity expense paid to a City Official or a member of a City Official’s immediate family is employment-related, such as an expense for salary, benefits, or contract services, the amount of the activity expense made during the reporting period may be expressed in a statement that it exceeded $10 but did not exceed $2,500, that it exceeded $2,500 but did not exceed $10,000, that it exceeded $10,000 but did not exceed $25,000, that it exceeded $25,000 but did not exceed $50,000, that it exceeded $50,000 but did not exceed $75,000, that it exceeded $75,000 but did not exceed $100,000, or that it exceeded $100,000.
(4) an itemization of any contributions totaling $100 or more made by the organization lobbyist or any of its owners, compensated officers, or lobbyists, or by any of its sponsored committees, during the reporting period to any of the following committees:
(A) a candidate’s election committee;
(B) a candidate-controlled ballot measure committee;
(C) a candidate’s (including an elected City Official’s) professional expense committee; or
(D) a committee primarily formed to support or oppose one or more candidates.
The itemization shall include the date and amount of each contribution and the name of the applicable committee.
(5) for each fundraising effort by any of the organization lobbyist’s owners, compensated officers, or lobbyists who engaged in fundraising activities during the reporting period:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who engaged in the fundraising activity;
(B) the name of the campaign committee benefiting from the fundraising activity;
(C) a description of the ballot measure, if any;
(D) the date(s) of the fundraising activity;
(E) a brief description of the fundraising activity; and
(F) the approximate amount of (i) all contributions personally delivered by the owner, officer, or lobbyist to the candidate or committee; and (ii) all contributions for which the owner, officer, or lobbyist has identified himself or herself to the candidate or committee as having some degree of responsibility for raising.
(6) for each of the organization lobbyist’s owners, compensated officers, and lobbyists who personally provided campaign-related services to a candidate or a candidate-controlled committee during the reporting period in exchange for compensation or pursuant to a contingency fee agreement:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who provided the services;
(B) the candidate’s name, and the office sought by that candidate;
(C) the name of the candidate-controlled ballot measure committee and a description of the ballot measure, if applicable;
(D) the approximate amount of compensation earned during the reporting period for the services provided to the candidate or candidate-controlled committee; and,
(E) a description of the services provided.
(7) for each of the organization lobbyist’s owners, compensated officers, and lobbyists who personally provided compensated services under a contract with the City during the reporting period:
(A) the name of the owner, officer, or lobbyist who provided the services;
(B) the name of the department, agency, or board for which the services were provided;
(C) the approximate amount of compensation earned during the reporting period for the services provided under the contract; and,
(D) a description of the services provided.
(8) a statement by a duly authorized owner or officer of the organization lobbyist that he or she has reviewed the contents of the quarterly disclosure report and verified under penalty of perjury that based on personal knowledge or on information and belief, that he or she believes such contents to be true, correct, and complete.
(9) the printed name, title, and original signature of the individual making the statement required by subsection (b)(8).
(10) any other information required by regulation of the Enforcement Authority consistent with the purposes and provisions of this division, and as approved by the City Council.
(c) An expenditure lobbyist’s quarterly disclosure report shall contain the following information:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the expenditure lobbyist.
(2) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the individual responsible for preparing the report.
(3) A description of each municipal decision that the expenditure lobbyist attempted to influence during the reporting period, and for each such municipal decision:
(A) The total expenditures the expenditure lobbyist made during the reporting period for the purpose of attempting to influence that municipal decision. An expenditure is made on the date a payment is made or on the date consideration, if any, is received by the expenditure lobbyist, whichever is earlier. An expenditure lobbyist need not disclose expenditures for lobbying activities reported by a lobbying firm or organization lobbyist on a quarterly disclosure report.
(B) The name, address, telephone number, and amount of payment for each person who made a payment, or the promise of a payment, of $100 or more to the expenditure lobbyist for the express purpose of funding any expenditure identified in subsection (c)(3)(A).
(C) The outcome sought by the expenditure lobbyist.
(4) a statement by a duly authorized owner or officer of the expenditure lobbyist that he or she has reviewed the contents of the quarterly disclosure report and verified under penalty of perjury that based on personal knowledge or on information and belief, that he or she believes such contents to be true, correct, and complete.
(5) the printed name, title, and original signature of the individual making the statement required by subsection (c)(4).
(6) any other information required by regulation of the Enforcement Authority consistent with the purposes and provisions of this division, and as approved by the City Council.
(Amended 12-7-1998 by O-18606 N.S.)
(Retitled and amended 8-3-2007 by O-19656 N.S.; effective 1-1-2008.)
(Amended 12-2-2009 by O-19913 N.S.; effective 1-1-2010.)
(Amended 11-27-2012 by O-20227 N.S.; effective 1-1-2013.)
(Amended 2-9-2016 by O-20596 N.S.; effective 3-10-2016.)
(Amended 7-29-2019 by O-21098 N.S.; effective 8-28-2019.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter02/Ch02Art07Division40.pdf#page=15Fetched: 10/28/2026