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AB-1514 Political Reform Act of 1974: reporting.(2009-2010)



Current Version: 07/15/10 - Chaptered

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AB1514:v91#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 1514
CHAPTER 77

An act to amend Section 84218 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

[ Approved by Governor  July 15, 2010. Filed with Secretary of State  July 15, 2010. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1514, Hayashi. Political Reform Act of 1974: reporting.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing, including requiring the filing of reports of contributions and expenditures. Among its provisions, the act requires a slate mailer organization, as defined, to file semiannual campaign statements for each 6-month period in which it has received or expended $500 or more for the production of a slate mailer.
This bill would require a slate mailer organization to file semiannual campaign statements for every 6-month period, irrespective of whether the organization received payments or made expenditures for that period.
Existing law makes a willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties.
This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating additional crimes.
This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 84218 of the Government Code proposed by AB 1181, that would become operative only if AB 1181 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, and this bill is chaptered last.
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 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 84218 of the Government Code is amended to read:

84218.
 (a) A slate mailer organization shall file semiannual campaign statements no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30, and no later than January 31, for the period ending December 31.
(b) In addition to the semiannual statements required by subdivision (a), slate mailer organizations shall file preelection statements as follows:
(1) Any slate mailer organization which produces a slate mailer supporting or opposing candidates or measures being voted on in an election held upon the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June or November of an even-numbered year shall file the statements specified in Section 84200.7 if, during the period covered by the preelection statement, the slate mailer organization receives payments totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more from any person for the support of or opposition to candidates or ballot measures in one or more slate mailers, or expends five hundred dollars ($500) or more to produce one or more slate mailers.
(2) Any slate mailer organization which produces a slate mailer supporting or opposing candidates or measures being voted on in an election held on a date other than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June or November of an even-numbered year shall file the statements specified in Section 84200.8 if, during the period covered by the preelection statement, the slate mailer organization receives payments totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more from any person for the support of or opposition to candidates or ballot measures in one or more slate mailers, or expends five hundred dollars ($500) or more to produce one or more slate mailers.
(c) A slate mailer organization shall file two copies of its campaign reports with the clerk of the county in which it is domiciled. A slate mailer organization is domiciled at the address listed on its statement of organization unless it is domiciled outside California, in which case its domicile shall be deemed to be Los Angeles County for purposes of this section.
In addition, slate mailer organizations shall file campaign reports as follows:
(1) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in a state election, or in more than one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as state general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84215.
(2) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one county, or in more than one jurisdiction within one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as county general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 84215.
(3) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one city shall file campaign reports in the same manner as city general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 84215.
(4) Notwithstanding the above, no slate mailer organization shall be required to file more than the original and one copy, or two copies, of a campaign report with any one county or city clerk or with the Secretary of State.

SEC. 1.5.

 Section 84218 of the Government Code is amended to read:

84218.
 (a) A slate mailer organization shall file semiannual campaign statements no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30, and no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31.
(b) In addition to the semiannual statements required by subdivision (a), slate mailer organizations shall file preelection statements as follows:
(1) Any slate mailer organization which produces a slate mailer supporting or opposing candidates or measures being voted on in an election held upon the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June or November of an even-numbered year shall file the statements specified in Section 84200.7 if, during the period covered by the preelection statement, the slate mailer organization receives payments totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more from any person for the support of or opposition to candidates or ballot measures in one or more slate mailers, or expends five hundred dollars ($500) or more to produce one or more slate mailers.
(2) Any slate mailer organization which produces a slate mailer supporting or opposing candidates or measures being voted on in an election held on a date other than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June or November of an even-numbered year shall file the statements specified in Section 84200.8 if, during the period covered by the preelection statement, the slate mailer organization receives payments totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more from any person for the support of or opposition to candidates or ballot measures in one or more slate mailers, or expends five hundred dollars ($500) or more to produce one or more slate mailers.
(c) A slate mailer organization shall file two copies of its campaign reports with the clerk of the county in which it is domiciled. A slate mailer organization is domiciled at the address listed on its statement of organization unless it is domiciled outside California, in which case its domicile shall be deemed to be Los Angeles County for purposes of this section.
In addition, slate mailer organizations shall file campaign reports as follows:
(1) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in a state election, or in more than one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as state general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84215.
(2) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one county, or in more than one jurisdiction within one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as county general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 84215.
(3) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one city shall file campaign reports in the same manner as city general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 84215.
(4) Notwithstanding the above, no slate mailer organization shall be required to file more than the original and one copy, or two copies, of a campaign report with any one county or city clerk or with the Secretary of State.

SEC. 2.

 Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 84218 of the Government Code proposed by both this bill and AB 1181. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, (2) each bill amends Section 84218 of the Government Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after AB 1181, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.

SEC. 3.

 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. 4.

 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.