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AB-187 Political Reform Act of 1974: local ballot measure contribution and expenditure reporting.(2017-2018)

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Date Published: 09/02/2017 04:00 AM
AB187:v95#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 187
CHAPTER 183

An act to amend Section 84204.5 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

[ Approved by Governor  September 01, 2017. Filed with Secretary of State  September 01, 2017. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 187, Gloria. Political Reform Act of 1974: local ballot measure contribution and expenditure reporting.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides that if a committee receives contributions totaling $2,000 or more in a calendar year and is subject to a specified reporting requirement, that committee is required to file online or electronically with the Secretary of State each time it makes contributions of independent expenditures of at least $5,000 to support or oppose the qualification or passage of a single state ballot measure. Existing law requires that the filing occur within 10 business days of the contribution or independent expenditure and that it contain detailed information relating to the committee, ballot initiative, and contribution or independent expenditure.
This bill would additionally require a committee to file a report each time it makes contributions or independent expenditures aggregating $5,000 or more to support or oppose the qualification of a single local initiative or referendum ballot measure. The bill would require that the report be filed in a specified manner within 10 business days of reaching the aggregated dollar threshold. The bill would prescribe the information contained within the report.
Existing law makes a violation of the act subject to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties.
This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by imposing these penalties on persons who violate certain provisions of this bill.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act’s purposes upon a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements.
This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 84204.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

84204.5.
 (a) In addition to any other report required by this title, a committee pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 that is required to file reports pursuant to Section 84605 shall file online or electronically with the Secretary of State each time it makes contributions totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more or each time it makes independent expenditures totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more to support or oppose the qualification or passage of a single state ballot measure. The report shall be filed within 10 business days of making the contributions or independent expenditures and shall contain all of the following:
(1) The full name, street address, and identification number of the committee.
(2) The number or letter of the measure if the measure has qualified for the ballot and has been assigned a number or letter; the title of the measure if the measure has not been assigned a number or letter but has been issued a title by the Attorney General; or the subject of the measure if the measure has not been assigned a number or letter and has not been issued a title by the Attorney General.
(3) In the case of a contribution, the date and amount of the contribution and the name, address, and identification number of the committee to whom the contribution was made. In addition, the report shall include the information required by paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211, regarding contributions or loans received from a person described in that subdivision, covering the period from the day after the closing date of the last campaign report filed to the date of the contribution requiring a report under this section, or if the committee has not previously filed a campaign statement, covering the period from the previous January 1 to the date of the contribution requiring a report under this section. No information described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211 that is required to be reported pursuant to this subdivision is required to be reported in more than one report provided for in this subdivision for each contribution or loan received from a person described in subdivision (f) of Section 84211.
(4) In the case of an independent expenditure, the date, amount, and a description of the goods or services for which the expenditure was made. In addition, the report shall include the information required by paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211 regarding contributions or loans received from a person described in that subdivision, covering the period from the day after the closing date of the last campaign report filed to the date of the expenditure, or if the committee has not previously filed a campaign statement, covering the period from the previous January 1 to the date of the expenditure. No information described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211 that is required to be reported pursuant to this subdivision is required to be reported in more than one report provided for in this subdivision for each contribution or loan received from a person described in subdivision (f) of Section 84211.
(b) In addition to any other report required by this title, a committee pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file a report each time it makes contributions totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more or independent expenditures aggregating five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more to support or oppose the qualification of a single local initiative or referendum ballot measure. A committee that is required to file a report under this subdivision shall file the report in the places where it would be required to file campaign statements under this article as if it were formed or existing primarily to support or oppose the local initiative or referendum ballot measure. The report shall be filed within 10 business days of reaching the aggregate dollar threshold and shall contain all of the following:
(1) The full name, street address, and identification number of the committee.
(2) The name or subject of the measure.
(3) In the case of an independent expenditure, the date, amount, and a description of the goods or services for which the expenditure was made. In the case of a contribution, the date and amount of the contribution and the name, address, and identification number of the committee to which the contribution was made. In addition, the report shall include the information required by paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211 regarding contributions or loans received from a person described in that subdivision, covering the period from the day after the closing date of the last campaign report filed to the date of the contribution or expenditure, or if the committee has not previously filed a campaign statement, covering the period from the previous January 1 to the date of the contribution or expenditure. The information described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (f) of Section 84211 that is required to be reported pursuant to this subdivision is not required to be reported in more than one report provided for in this subdivision for each contribution or loan received from a person described in subdivision (f) of Section 84211.
(c) Reports required by this section are not required to be filed by a committee primarily formed to support or oppose the qualification or passage of a state ballot measure or the qualification of a local initiative or referendum ballot measure for expenditures made on behalf of the ballot measure or measures for which it is formed.
(d) Independent expenditures that have been disclosed by a committee pursuant to Section 84204 or 85500 are not required to be disclosed pursuant to this section.

SEC. 2.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code.