BILL NUMBER: AB 696 CHAPTERED 10/14/01 CHAPTER 917 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 14, 2001 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 14, 2001 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 30, 2001 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Longville FEBRUARY 22, 2001 An act to amend Sections 84600 and 84602 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 696, Longville. Online campaign disclosure. Under existing law, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Fair Political Practices Commission, is required to develop online and electronic filing processes for use by persons and specified entities required to file statements and reports with the Secretary of State's office, and to make 2 reports to the Legislature. This bill would require those processes to enable a user to comply with all of the disclosure requirements of the Political Reform Act of 1974, including a means or method whereby filers subject to online and electronic filing disclosure requirements may submit required filings free of charge, and that does not provide any additional or enhanced functions or services that exceed the minimum requirements necessary to fulfill the disclosure provisions of the act. It would require at least one means or method to be made available no later than December 31, 2002. This bill would also change the date by which one of the above-described reports is due, and require a 3rd report to the Legislature, due no later than January 31, 2003. The bill would declare that these changes are declaratory of existing law. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes with a 2/3 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill, which would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act, would therefore require a 2/3 vote. This bill would appropriate $600,000 from the General Fund to the Secretary of State to defray the costs of developing software as required by this act. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Appropriation: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 84600 of the Government Code is amended to read: 84600. This chapter may be known and may be cited as the Online Disclosure Act. SEC. 2. Section 84602 of the Government Code is amended to read: 84602. To implement the Legislature's intent, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the commission, notwithstanding any other provision of this title or any other provision of the Government Code, shall do all of the following: (a) Develop online and electronic filing processes for use by persons and entities specified in Sections 84604 and 84605 required to file statements and reports with the Secretary of State's office pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100) and Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 86100). Those processes shall each enable a user to comply with all the disclosure requirements of this title and shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) A means or method whereby filers subject to this chapter may submit required filings free of charge. Any means or method developed pursuant to this provision shall not provide any additional or enhanced functions or services that exceed the minimum requirements necessary to fulfill the disclosure provisions of this title. At least one means or method shall be made available no later than December 31, 2002. (2) The definition of a nonproprietary standardized record format or formats using industry standards for the transmission of the data that is required of those persons and entities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 84604 and Section 84605 and that conforms with the disclosure requirements of this title. The Secretary of State shall hold public hearings prior to development of the record format or formats as a means to ensure that affected entities have an opportunity to provide input into the development process. The format or formats shall be made public no later than July 1, 1999, to ensure sufficient time to comply with the requirements of this chapter. (b) Accept test files, from software vendors and others wishing to file reports electronically, for the purpose of determining whether the file format is in compliance with the standardized record format developed pursuant to subdivision (a) and is compatible with the Secretary of State's system for receiving the data. A list of software and service providers who have submitted acceptable test files shall be published by the Secretary of State and made available to the public. Acceptably formatted files shall be submitted by a filer in order to meet the requirements of this chapter. (c) Develop a system that provides for the online or electronic transfer of the data specified in this section utilizing telecommunications technology that assures the integrity of the data transmitted and that creates safeguards against efforts to tamper with or subvert the data. (d) Make all the data filed available on the Internet in an easily understood format that provides the greatest public access. The data shall be made available free of charge and as soon as possible after receipt. All late contribution and late independent expenditure reports, as defined by Sections 84203 and 84204, respectively, shall be made available on the Internet within 24 hours of receipt. The data made available on the Internet shall not contain the street name and building number of the persons or entity representatives listed on the electronically filed forms or any bank account number required to be disclosed pursuant to this title. (e) Develop a procedure for filers to comply with the requirement that they sign under penalty of perjury pursuant to Section 81004. (f) Maintain all filed data online for 10 years after the date it is filed, and then archive the information in a secure format. (g) Provide assistance to those seeking public access to the information. (h) Consult with the Department of Information Technology and implement sufficient technology to seek to prevent unauthorized alteration or manipulation of the data. (i) Provide the commission with necessary information to enable it to assist agencies, public officials, and others, with the compliance and with administration of this title. (j) Report to the Legislature on the implementation and development of the online and electronic filing and disclosure requirements of this chapter. The report shall include an examination of system security, private security issues, software availability, compliance costs to filers, use of the filing system and software provided by the Secretary of State, and other issues relating to this chapter, and shall recommend appropriate changes if necessary. In preparing the report, the commission may present to the Secretary of State and the Legislature its comments regarding this chapter as it relates to the duties of the commission and suggest appropriate changes if necessary. There shall be one report due before the system is operational as set forth in Section 84603, one report due no later than June 1, 2002, and one report due no later than January 31, 2003. SEC. 3. The amendment of Section 84602 of the Government Code made by this act does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, existing law. SEC. 4. The Legislature finds and declares that the provisions of this act further the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code. SEC. 5. The sum of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Secretary of State to defray the costs of developing software as required by this act. SEC. 6. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to ensure that software allowing for the free filing of online and electronic disclosure reports is made available to affected filers, thereby facilitating compliance with the Political Reform Act of 1974, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.