(A) The City Attorney or City Manager, or their designee, shall be informed of any person engaged in lobbying activities who has failed to comply with the registration, reporting requirements and prohibitions of this act and, in each such instance, shall conduct such investigation as he or she shall deem necessary under the circumstances. The results of each investigation shall be reported to the City Commission.
(B) The City Commission may warn, reprimand, or censure the violator or may suspend or prohibit the violator from appearing on behalf of any employer before the Commission or any decision-making body under the jurisdiction of the Commission or from otherwise lobbying for any employer in any fashion for a period of time; provided, however, that any suspension or prohibition may not exceed a period of two years and no sanction shall be imposed unless the lobbyist allegedly in violation has been afforded reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard.
(C) The penalties provided in this section shall be the exclusive penalties imposed for violations of the registration and reporting requirements of this act, except as provided in § 34.402. The intentional failure or refusal of any lobbyist to comply with any order of the Commission suspending or prohibiting the lobbyist from lobbying shall be punishable as provided by law and shall otherwise be subject to such civil remedies as the city may pursue, including injunctive relief.
(D) The validity of any action taken by the Commission, city employees, or any decision-making body under the jurisdiction of the Commission, shall not be affected by the failure of any person to comply with the provisions of this subchapter.
(Ord. 2003-6, passed 10-8-02)