The ethics commission shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
1. To administer the provisions of the San Francisco Municipal Elections Campaign Contribution Control Ordinance, and Proposition F, adopted by voters at the June 1986 election, which appears as Appendix K to this charter or any successors to these ordinances.
2. To receive documents required to be filed pursuant to, and to otherwise administer, the provisions of the City's lobbyist registration ordinance.
3. To act as the filing officer and to otherwise receive documents in any instance where the clerk of the board of supervisors, the registrar of voters and, with respect to members of the boards and commissions, department heads would otherwise be authorized to do so pursuant to Chapters 4 and 7 of the California Political Reform Act of 1974 (Government Code sections 81000, et seq.), as amended.
4. To audit campaign statements and other relevant documents and investigate alleged violations of state law, this charter and City ordinances relating to campaign finance, governmental ethics and conflicts of interest and to report the findings to the district attorney, City attorney and other appropriate enforcement authorities. Commission investigation of alleged violations of state law shall be conducted only after the commission has provided to the district attorney and City attorney the information set forth in Section 3.699-12 and the district attorney and City attorney notify the commission that no investigation will be pursued.
5. To provide assistance to agencies, public officials and candidates in administering the provisions of this charter and other laws relating to campaign finance, conflicts of interest and governmental ethics.
6. To make recommendations to the mayor and the board of supervisors concerning (a) campaign finance reform, (b) adoption of and revisions to City ordinances laws related to conflict of interest and lobbying laws and governmental ethics and (c) the submission to the voters of charter amendments relating to campaign finance, conflicts of interest and governmental ethics. The commission shall report to the board of supervisors and mayor annually concerning the effectiveness of such laws. The commission shall transmit its first set of recommendations to the board of supervisors and mayor no later than July 1, 1995.
7. To maintain a whistleblower hot line and administer the provisions of the City's improper government activities ordinance.
8. To annually adjust any limitation and disclosure thresholds imposed by City law to reflect any increases or decreases in the Consumer Price Index. Such adjustments shall be rounded off to the nearest hundred dollars for the limitations on contributions.
9. To assist departments in developing and maintaining their conflict of interest codes as required by state law.
10. To advocate understanding of the charter and City ordinances related to campaign finance, conflicts of interest, lobbying, governmental ethics and open meetings and public records, and the roles of elected and other public officials, City institutions and the City electoral process.
11. To have full charge and control of its office, to be responsible for its proper administration, subject to the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the charter.
12. To prescribe forms for reports, statements, notices and other documents required by this charter or by ordinances now in effect or hereafter adopted relating to campaign finance, conflicts of interest, lobbying and governmental ethics.
13. To prepare and publish manuals and instructions setting forth methods of bookkeeping, preservation of records to facilitate compliance with and enforcement of the laws relating to campaign finance, conflicts of interest, lobbying and governmental ethics, and explaining applicable duties of persons and committees.
14. To develop an educational program, including but not limited to the following components:
(a) Seminars, when deemed appropriate, to familiarize newly elected and appointed officers and employees, candidates for elective office and their campaign treasurers, and lobbyists with City, state and federal ethics laws and the importance of ethics to the public's confidence in municipal government.
(b) Annual seminars for top-level officials, including elected officers and commissioners, to reinforce the importance of compliance with, and to inform them of any changes in, the law relating to conflicts of interest, lobbying, governmental ethics and open meetings and public records.
(c) A manual which will include summaries, in simple, non-technical language, of ethics laws and reporting requirements applicable to City officers and employees, instructions for completing required forms, questions and answers regarding common problems and situations, and information regarding sources of assistance in resolving questions. The manual shall be updated when necessary to reflect changes in applicable City, state and federal laws governing the ethical conduct of City employees.
(d) A manual which will include summaries, in simple, non-technical language, of City ordinances related to open meetings and public records, questions and answers regarding common problems and situations, and information regarding sources of assistance in resolving questions. The manual shall be updated when necessary to reflect changes in applicable City ordinances related to open meetings and public records.