(A) The City Clerk shall advise and seek to educate all persons required to perform duties pursuant to this Ordinance. This includes advising all registered lobbyists and lobbyist organizations at least annually of the Lobbyist and Lobbyist Organization Registration and Disclosure Ordinance's deadlines for submitting registration. All prescribed forms shall be clear and easy to complete.
(B) The City Attorney may conduct thorough examinations of reports and conduct any investigations to determine whether this Ordinance has been violated. Any person who believes that this Ordinance has been violated may file a written complaint with the City Attorney pursuant to the requirements of § 2-3-5 of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall adopt procedures for processing complaints and notifications of violations.
(C) The City Attorney shall seek first to ensure voluntary compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance pursuant to § 2-3-5. A person who violates this Ordinance shall be given fifteen (15) consecutive calendar days notice to correct the matter or request a hearing before the Independent Hearing Officer before fines are imposed. The fifteen day notice shall begin to run on the day the notice is mailed or served in person. The request for hearing shall be submitted to the City Clerk. The hearing shall use the procedures outlined in the IHO Ordinance, ROA 1994, Chapter 2, Article 8, Part 1.
(D) Notices under this section shall be deemed properly served and received when the notice has been personally served on the lobbyist or lobbyist organization or sent by registered or certified mail return receipt requested to the last known address of the lobbyist or lobbyist organization.
(E) Any person who files a statement required by this Ordinance, including but not limited to registration and disclosure statements, after the deadline imposed by this Ordinance or any person who files a false or incomplete statement shall be liable for and shall pay the City at or from the time initially required for the filing, fifty dollars ($50.00) per day for each regular working day after the time required for the filing of the statement until the complete report is filed up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500.00). Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be punished by a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) and may have his lobbyist or lobbyist organization registration revoked or his lobbying or lobbying campaigning activities enjoined for up to three (3) years.
(Ord. 62-2001; Am. Ord. 38-2002; Am. Ord. 5-2003; Am. Ord. 2023-015)