BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1689
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 14, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                 AB 1689 (Torres) - As Introduced:  January 26, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              ElectionsVote:7-0  
          (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill aligns provisions of state law governing the selection  
          of delegates and alternates to represent the state at a National  
          Convention of the Democratic Party with the standing rules and  
          bylaws of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible costs to the Secretary of State.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  While political parties are treated as private  
          organizations with their own governing bylaws, state law imposes  
          some rules on parties, particularly in relation to the state's  
          conduct of elections.  The Alquist Open Presidential Primary Act  
          provides specific procedures for the selection of delegates and  
          alternates to represent the state at the national convention of  
          the Democratic Party to nominate a candidate for President of  
          the United States.  This bill updates these statutes to conform  
          to changes adopted by the DNC and California Democratic Party  
          (CDP).  The bill also makes changes to conform the Act to other  
          portions of the Elections Code.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081