Gifts and Contributions to the County

Gift and Campaign Contribution Reporting

The County Charter, (Section 1000.1) and the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) have specific rules for reporting gifts to the County or County officials. Below are the requirements and forms:

Reporting by Contractors and Lobbyists (County Charter Section 1000.1)

If your service contract is up for approval, amendment, or extension by the Board of Supervisors, you must report gifts and campaign contributions made to Board members.

This applies to:

  • Contractors: anyone whose service contract is being considered by the Board
  • Registered lobbyists: anyone registered as a lobbyist with the County of San Diego

You must file your disclosure at least four calendar days before the Board meeting. It must include:

  1. All gifts given to any Board member or their immediate family in the past year that are reportable under the Political Reform Act of 1974.
  2. All federal, State, and local campaign contributions made to any Board member or their controlled committees in the past year.

Complete the form and submit it to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

Gifts to the County (FPPC Form 801)

The FPPC requires the County to report payments made to the County that are then used for a County official. Examples include travel, meals, or other benefits.

In some cases these payments are not a gift to the official — they are a gift to the County. To qualify, the payments must be used for official agency business and meet the rules in Board Policy A-112 and FPPC Regulation 18944.2. See the FPPC website for details.

County officials must file  Form 801 with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of using the payment.

Gifts of Event Tickets to County Officials (FPPC Form 802)

If a County official accepts tickets to an entertainment, sporting and similar events while performing a ceremonial role on behalf of the agency, they must report this using Form 802.

FPPC Regulation 18944.1 sets out when an agency's distribution of tickets would not count as a gift to those who attend. Form 802 details each event and its public purpose. FPPC Regulation 18942 lists exceptions to reportable gifts, including ceremonial events, when listed on this form.

Officials do not report these admissions on their Form 700. The value of the tickets is not subject to the gift limit. Form 802 also shows whether tickets were provided at the request of an agency official and whether they went to an organization or specific individuals. See Board Policy A-112 for more information.

To complete a Form 802, visit the FPPC website. Submit completed forms to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.