BILL NUMBER: AB 1514	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 28, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 2, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hayashi

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Sections 84218 and 85309 of the Government Code,
relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1514, as amended, Hayashi. Political Reform Act of 1974:
reporting.
   (1)    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.
    (2)   The act requires
candidates for elective office and committees primarily formed to
support or oppose a state ballot measure to file online or
electronically with the Secretary of State a report disclosing
receipt of a contribution of $1,000 or more received during an
election cycle, as defined, or receipt of a contribution of $5,000 or
more received at any time other than during an election cycle.
   This bill would eliminate those reporting requirements for
candidates and ballot-measure committees and would instead impose
those reporting requirements on committees in general that receive
contributions and on slate mailer organizations that receive
payments.
    (3)    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.
    (4)    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.
    (5)    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.
State-mandated 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. 2.  Section 85309 of the Government Code is amended to read:
   85309.  (a) In addition to any other report required by this
title, a committee, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 82013,
or a slate mailer organization that is required to file reports
pursuant to Section 84605 shall file online or electronically with
the Secretary of State a report disclosing receipt of a contribution
or, in the case of a slate mailer organization, a payment of one
thousand dollars ($1,000) or more received during an election cycle.
Those reports shall disclose the same information required by
subdivision (a) of Section 84203 or, in the case of a slate mailer
organization, Section 84220 and shall be filed within 24 hours of
receipt of the contribution or payment.
   (b) In addition to any other report required by this title, a
committee, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 82013, or a slate
mailer organization that is required to file reports pursuant to
Section 84605 shall file online or electronically with the Secretary
of State a report disclosing receipt of a contribution or, in the
case of a slate mailer organization, a payment of five thousand
dollars ($5,000) or more received at any time other than during an
election cycle. Those reports shall disclose the same information
required by subdivision (a) of Section 84203 or, in the case of a
slate mailer organization, Section 84220 and shall be filed within 10
business days of receipt of the contribution or payment. 
   (c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), a committee that is
not a controlled committee is not required to file a report pursuant
to this section unless the committee makes a contribution to, or
independent expenditure in connection with, a candidate or ballot
measure during an election cycle.  
   (d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), a slate mailer
organization is not required to file a report pursuant to this
section unless the slate mailer organization receives a payment in
connection with a candidate or ballot measure during an election
cycle. 
  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.