LWV Cupertino-Sunnyvale v. City of Cupertino Press Statement

Cupertino, CA — League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale Co-president Tracey Edwards issued the following statement about the resolution to LWV Cupertino-Sunnyvale v. City of Cupertino:

“Approximately one year ago, the League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale filed a lawsuit against the City of Cupertino to rectify a lobbying ordinance that was overly broad. LWV of Cupertino-Sunnyvale filed this action to ensure unfettered access to local government in response to Cupertino’s ordinance designating volunteers and neighborhood activists as ’lobbyists.’

“Under the ordinance as initially passed, citizens who belonged to community, charitable, or political organizations were lumped together with lobbyists from powerful corporations. The ordinance required these community members to register as lobbyists, pay a fee, and make extensive disclosures about themselves and any organization they served in order to appear before the city’s council or commissions.

“The former ordinance put League members who routinely informed neighbors over social media or in local newsletters at risk of being prosecuted for sharing information about what happened at council meetings, chilling their right to petition government and speak freely on political issues.

“We are pleased to report that the Cupertino City Council approved an amended ordinance that now meets the needs of our community. Now, Cupertino residents are seen by our local government for who they are: not powerful lobbyists but engaged community members. Now, nonprofit organizations will not run the risk of being categorized as lobbyists just by speaking up at a City Council meeting.

“In response to the League’s suit, the city acted responsibly to review the impact of their initial overbroad ordinance and bring the new ordinance squarely within the bounds of the California and US Constitutions. The new ordinance can be a model for other California communities, as well as cities across the United States, for the appropriate regulation of lobbying activities that does not chill the speech of ordinary citizens.”

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