City of San Bernardino Candidate Information Guide

may only be spent to defray attorney’s fees and other related legal costs, as defined in the Act. (See Regulation 18530.45 for additional information.) A candidate or officeholder may not use any funds to pay or be reimbursed for a penalty, judgement or settlement related to a claim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or sexual harassment filed against the candidate or officeholder in any civil, criminal or administrative proceeding. A candidate or officeholder may use legal defense committee funds for other legal costs and expenses related to claims of sexual assault, sexual abuse or sexual harassment, but if the candidate or officeholder is held liable, the candidate or elected officer must reimburse the legal defense fund for all funds used in connection with those other legal costs and expenses. “Sexual assault” and “sexual abuse” have the same meaning as provided in Penal Code Section 11165.1. “Sexual harassment” has the same meaning as found in Government Code Section 12940(j). The candidate and the treasurer of the legal defense fund committee are subject to the recordkeeping requirements discussed in this chapter. In addition, separate detailed accounts, records, bills, and receipts, for each legal proceeding, including documentation to support the basis and timing for raising legal defense funds, must be kept. Recall Elections An officeholder who is the subject of a recall may use an existing committee (set up for the office they currently hold) to receive contributions and make expenditures to oppose the qualification of the recall measure, and if the recall petition qualifies, the recall election. The officeholder may instead choose to set up a separate committee with a separate bank account. The officeholder and committee treasurer are subject to the recordkeeping requirements discussed in this chapter. See Chapter 11 for additional information about recall elections.

Fair Political Practices Commission advice@fppc.ca.gov

Chapter 3.11

Campaign Manual 2 August 2023 Page 174

Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator