Local government: lobbying associations: expenditure of public funds.

Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a local agency, defined as a county, city, or city and county, or a district, defined broadly to include other political subdivisions or public corporations in the state other than the state or a county, city and county, or city, to attend the Legislature and the Congress of the United States, and any committees thereof, and to present information regarding legislation that the legislative body or the district deems to be beneficial or detrimental to the local agency or the district. Existing law also authorizes the legislative body of a local agency or a district to enter into an association for these purposes and specifies that the cost and expense incident to the legislative body's or district's membership in the association and the activities of the association are proper charges against the local agencies or districts comprising the association. This bill, with respect to moneys paid to or otherwise received by an association from a local agency or district member of the association, would prohibit an association of local agencies or districts from expending those moneys for any purpose other than the above-described activities and educational activities. The bill would require the association to publicly disclose the amount of those moneys expended on the above-described activities of the association. The bill would prohibit an association from incurring any travel-related expenses except as may be necessary for the association to hold an annual conference or other gathering of its members or to hold or send its members to attend educational activities, as defined.