BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 26
Author: Correa (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 27
SENATE ELECTIONS & CONST. AMEND. COMM. : 4-0, 3/19/13
AYES: Correa, Anderson, Hancock, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Padilla
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Political Reform Act of 1974: slate mailers
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill modifies the font and type specifications
with respect to the slate mailer organization or committee
identification requirement and revises the placement and font
size and color specifications with respect to the prescribed
notice to voters.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law requires slate mailer organizations and committees,
primarily formed to support or oppose ballot measures, to
include particular font, type, size and placement requirements,
as specified, on slate mailers they send.
This bill:
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1.Requires that the name and address of the sender and the
notice to voters instead appear in no less than 10-point black
roman type against a solid white background.
2.Requires the notice to voters appear on each side or surface
of the slate mailer where any candidate or ballot measure that
has paid to appear in the slate mailer appears.
Background
Slate Mail Definitions
"Slate mailer" is defined in the Political Reform Act as a mass
mailing which supports or opposes a total of four or more
candidates or ballot measures. A "slate mailer organization"
means any person or organization who, directly or indirectly,
does all of the following:
Is involved in the production of one or more slate mailers and
exercises control over the selection of the candidates and
measures to be supported or opposed in the slate mailers.
Receives or is promised payments totaling $500 or more in a
calendar year for the production of one or more slate mailers.
However, a slate mailer organization does not include any of the
following:
A candidate or officeholder or his or her controlled
committee.
An official committee of any political party.
A legislative caucus committee.
A committee primarily formed to support or oppose a candidate,
officeholder, or ballot measure.
Relevant FPPC Regulations
Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulation 18435.5
provides, in part, that the notice to voters shall appear with a
reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and
the statement and must appear on a plain background, not
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superimposed over an illustration or a patterned background.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/8/13)
California Common Cause
League of Women Voters of California
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT :
According to the author's office, during the November General
Election, slate mailers were sent to voters that superimposed
the notice to voters in a white font over a picture of an
eagle's white feathers rendering the notice extremely difficult
to find let alone read. SB 26 strengthens the Political Reform
Act and FPPC regulations by requiring that both the sender
identification and the notice to voters are printed in larger
(10-point), black type against a solid white background so they
cannot be intentionally obfuscated. SB 26 requires the notice
to voters to be printed on each side or surface where any paying
candidate or ballot measure appears in the slate mailer which
will make this important information more obvious and
accessible.
>
RM:ej 4/8/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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