(a)  No retired, dismissed, or separated employee or officer of the south coast district, or member of the south coast district board, shall participate in any contract of the district in which he or she engaged in any of the negotiations, transactions, planning, arrangements, or any part of the decisionmaking process relevant to the contract while acting in the capacity of employee or officer of the south coast district, or member of the south coast district board, during the 24-month period commencing on the date the person became retired, dismissed, or separated from service with the south coast district or ceased being a member of the south coast district board.

(b)  For a period of 12 months following retirement, dismissal, or separation from service with the south coast district, no former employee or officer of the south coast district, or member of the south coast district board, shall enter into a contract with the south coast district if that person had been with the south coast district in a position involving making any decision, giving or withholding any approval, making any recommendation, rendering any advice, or conducting any investigation concerning the general subject of the proposed contract within 12 months prior to retirement, dismissal, or separation from service with the south coast district. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in this subdivision, the south coast district board may, by a two-thirds vote, enter into a contract with a retired employee of the south coast district or an employee who separated under conditions satisfactory to the south coast district if the south coast district board finds and determines that, at the time of the retirement or separation, the employee was working on one or more programs that are of great importance to the south coast district, that the services of the employee are necessary to assure the continued effectiveness of the program or programs, that the contract is only for that period of time necessary to complete the employee’s work on the program or programs, and that the employee is the most qualified person to provide the needed services.

(c)  No former employee or officer of the south coast district previously holding a position designated in the conflict-of-interest code of the south coast district, and no member of the south coast district board, who was, at any time while in the service of the south coast district, involved in making any decision, giving or withholding any approval, making any recommendation, rendering any advice, or conducting any investigation involving a particular person shall, with respect to any of these matters that the former employee, officer, or member of the south coast district board was involved in, do any of the following:

(1)  Act as an agent or attorney, or otherwise represent, that person in an appearance before the south coast district board or the hearing board.

(2)  Make a communication on behalf of that person with the intent to influence the south coast district board or its officers or employees or the hearing board.

(3)  Represent, aid, counsel, advise, consult with, or otherwise assist that person in connection with any of these matters in any capacity.

(4)  Knowingly enter into a contract or accept employment for any purpose specified in this subdivision.

(d)  Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

(e)  This section applies only to employees and officers who are in the employment of the south coast district on or after July 1, 1988, and members serving on the south coast district board on or after July 1, 1988.

(f)  This section shall become operative on July 1, 1988.

(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1412, Sec. 2. Section applicable July 1, 1988, as specified by this amendment.)