TO: LINDA REICH, CITY MANAGER
FROM: NATALIE GONZAGA, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT
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Citywide Digital Signature Policy Update.
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RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-046 updating the Citywide Digital Signature Policy to align with updated state regulations.
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FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
CITY OF CHINO MISSION / VISION / VALUES / STRATEGIC ISSUES
The recommendation detailed above further the City’s values and strategic issues that serve as key pillars on which identified priorities, goals, and action plans are built, by fostering:
• Superior Customer Service
• Effective Technology
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BACKGROUND
In 2022, the City implemented a Citywide Digital Signature Policy as part of its ongoing efforts to boost efficiency. The City of Chino had consistently looked for ways to streamline operations and enhance public service. A significant part of daily activities involved managing contracts. Each fiscal year, the City finalized over 250 new agreements to support partnerships with various organizations, including for-profit, non-profit, and government entities, all focused on community benefit. While these collaborations were valuable, the existing methods for securing signatures and maintaining these documents, in line with our records management guidelines, demanded considerable time.
The City's contract processing was largely a manual system. Departments manually collected original signatures, then physically delivered contracts to the Finance, Risk Management, and Administration Departments for review, scanning, and processing. This hands-on approach had created a particularly heavy workload and consumed much time, especially at the beginning of new fiscal years when numerous new agreements, along with amendments and extensions to existing agreements, required attention.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
The City's current digital signature practices require an update due to legislative changes within the California Government Code. Emergency regulations removed the requirement that the Secretary of State maintain a list of certificate authorities authorized to issue certificates for digitally signed communications with public entities in California. The Secretary of State no longer maintains or will make available the “Approved List of Digital Signature Certificate Authorities”. Consequently, the City of Chino’s established Citywide Digital Signature Policy no longer aligns with these updated state regulations.
To ensure continued legal compliance with Government Code Section 16.5 and to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the City's digital signing processes, staff recommend that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-046, which approves the updated Citywide Digital Signature Policy. This revised policy aims to incorporate the necessary adjustments to reflect the current legal framework and ensure the City's digital signature procedures remain valid and effective.
Attachments: Resolution No. 2025-046
Updated Citywide Digital Signature Policy
California Government Code Section 16.5