Newport Beach residents may soon learn exactly who is lobbying their county supervisor and on what issues. The Orange County Board of Supervisors took up a first-ever lobbyist disclosure ordinance for final adoption on Tuesday, Aug. 11, though official results from the vote were not available as of Wednesday.

The measure would require registered lobbyists to file quarterly reports detailing their efforts to influence county decisions. It would also expand the definition of lobbying beyond contacts with supervisors to include meetings with county commission appointees and department heads who shape contracts and policy recommendations before items reach the full board.

That's new. Under current county law, lobbyists must only identify their clients once a year, with no obligation to report what they discussed or with whom.

Vice Chair Katrina Foley, who represents Newport Beach as the Fifth District supervisor, voted for the ordinance's first reading on June 23, when it passed unanimously. In a statement that day, Foley said the ordinance strengthens public accountability and gives residents greater visibility into lobbying activities across county government.

The ordinance was proposed by Board Chairman Doug Chaffee and Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento. A staff report filed with the board states that the absence of lobbyist disclosure "raises significant transparency concerns," noting that Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco counties all require quarterly lobbyist reporting.

The expanded definition matters for Newport Beach because county commission appointees and department heads play roles in harbor and coastal development, tidelands management and housing policy. Under the current system, residents cannot see which lobbyists are working to influence those decisions before they reach the board.

The push for transparency follows the Andrew Do corruption scandal, in which the former District 1 supervisor steered no-bid contracts to associates. The county has spent more than $1.7 million on forensic audits, litigation and recovery efforts related to Do's actions, according to a June 23 board press release.

Shirley Grindle, who authored Orange County's 1978 campaign finance ordinance and helped establish the county Ethics Commission, urged supervisors to adopt the changes in a public letter reported by Voice of OC, calling the requirements "long overdue."

The county's Office of Ethics and Campaign Finance would administer the new quarterly reports. The ordinance's reporting structure is modeled on the City of Irvine's framework, while its expanded lobbying definition draws from the City of Anaheim's, according to the staff report.

The Aug. 11 board agenda listed the ordinance as Item 26 for second reading and adoption. If adopted, no further board vote is required. Residents can contact Foley's office through communications director Latisha Townsend at (714) 559-8364 for updates on the vote outcome.