§ 5-12.19. Solicitation or sales solicitation for charitable purposes: disclosure requirements: noncompliance by volunteer solicitor.

(a)

Prior to any solicitation or sales solicitation for charitable purposes, the solicitor or seller shall exhibit to the prospective donor or purchaser a card entitled "Solicitation or Sale for Charitable Purposes Card." The card shall be signed and dated under penalty of perjury by an individual who is a principal, staff member, or officer of the soliciting organization. The card shall give the name and address of the soliciting organization or the person who signed the card and the name and business address of the paid individual who is doing the actual soliciting.

In lieu of exhibiting a card, the solicitor or seller may distribute during the course of the solicitation any printed material, such as a solicitation brochure, provided such material complies with the standards set forth below, and provided that the solicitor or seller informs the prospective donor or purchaser that such information as required below is contained in the printed material.

Information on the card or printed material shall be presented in at least 10-point type and shall include the following:

(1)

The name and address of the combined campaign, each organization, or fund on behalf of which all or any part of the money collected will be utilized for charitable purposes;

(2)

If there is no organization or fund, the manner in which the money collected will be utilized for charitable purposes;

(3)

The amount, stated as a percentage of the total gift or purchase price, that will be used for charitable purposes;

(4)

If paid fund raisers are paid a set fee rather than a percentage of the total amount raised, the card shall show the total cost that is estimated will be used for direct fundraising expenses;

(5)

If the solicitation is not a sale solicitation, the card may state, in place of the amount of fundraising expenses, that an audited financial statement of such expenses may be obtained by contacting the organization at the address disclosed;

(6)

The non-tax-exempt status of the organization or fund, if the organization or fund for which the money or funds are being solicited does not have a charitable tax exemption under both federal and state laws;

(7)

The percentage of the total gift or purchase price which may be deducted as a charitable contribution under both federal and state law. If no portion is so deductible the card shall state that "This contribution is not tax deductible";

(8)

If the organization making the solicitation represents any nongovernmental organization by any name which includes, but is not limited to, the term "officer," "peace officer," police," "law enforcement," "reserve officer," "deputy," "California Highway Patrol," "Highway Patrol," or "deputy sheriff," which would reasonably be understood to imply that the organization is composed of law enforcement personnel, the solicitor shall give the total number of members in the organization and the number of members working or living within the city where the solicitation is being made, and if the solicitation is for advertising, the statewide circulation of the publication in which the solicited ad will appear.

(b)

Noncompliance by any individual solicitor or seller in connection with a solicitation by any charitable organization shall subject the solicitor or seller to the penalties of the law.

(c)

When the solicitation is not a sales solicitation, any individual solicitor or seller who receives no compensation of any type from, or in connection with, a solicitation by any charitable organization may comply with the disclosure provisions by providing the name and address of the charitable organization on behalf of which all or any part of the money collected will be utilized for charitable purposes, by stating the charitable purposes for which the solicitation is made, and by stating to the person solicited that information about revenues and expenses of such organization, including its administration and fundraising costs, may be obtained by contacting the organization's office at the address disclosed. Such organization shall provide such information to the person solicited within seven calendar days after receipt of the request.

(d)

A solicitor or seller who receives no compensation of any type from, or in connection with, a solicitation or sales solicitation by a charitable organization which has qualified for a tax exemption under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and who is eighteen (18) years of age or younger, is not required to make any disclosures pursuant to this section.

(§ 1, Ord. 746, eff. March 14, 1991)