SB 1251, as introduced, Moorlach. Publication of state financial obligations: Internet Web site and ballot pamphlet.
(1) Existing law requires a local agency, if it maintains an Internet Web site and is required to report specific financial information to the Controller, to post, in a conspicuous location on its Internet Web site, information on the annual compensation of its elected officials, officers, and employees. Existing law authorizes a local agency to meet this requirement by posting a link to the Controller’s Government Compensation in California Internet Web site in a conspicuous location on its Internet Web site.
This bill would establish the California Financial Transparency Act of 2016 and would require ____ [an entity of state government] to create and maintain a dedicated Web page, hyperlinked to the homepage of its Internet Web site, that lists specific state financial obligations.
(2) The Political Reform Act of 1974 and the Elections Code each require the Secretary of State to prepare a ballot pamphlet that contains specific information.
This bill would require the Secretary of State to include in a ballot pamphlet a copy of all the information posted on a dedicated Web page, hyperlinked to the homepage of the Internet Web site of an unspecified entity in state government, pursuant to the California Financial Transparency Act of 2016.
(3) 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.
The act also provides that, notwithstanding this vote requirement, the Legislature may amend specified provisions to add to the ballot pamphlet information regarding candidates or other information.
This bill, which would require additional information to be included in the ballot pamphlet, without making other changes to the act, would therefore require a majority vote.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 9084 of the Elections Code is amended
2to read:
The ballot pamphlet shall contain all of the following:
4(a) A complete copy of each state measure.
5(b) A copy of the specific constitutional or statutory provision,
6if any, that each state measure would repeal or revise.
7(c) A copy of the arguments and rebuttals for and against each
8state measure.
9(d) A copy of the analysis of each state measure.
10(e) Tables of contents, indexes, art work, graphics, and other
11materials that the Secretary of State determines will make the ballot
12pamphlet easier to understand or more useful for the
average voter.
13(f) A notice, conspicuously printed on the cover of the ballot
14pamphlet, indicating that additional copies of the ballot pamphlet
15will be mailed by the county elections official upon request.
16(g) A written explanation of the judicial retention procedure as
17required by Section 9083.
18(h) The Voter Bill of Rights pursuant to Section 2300.
19(i) If the ballot contains an election for the office of United
20States Senator, information on candidates for United States Senator.
21A candidate for United States Senator may purchase the space to
22place a statement in the state ballot pamphlet that does not exceed
23250 words. The statement may not make any reference to any
P3 1opponent of the candidate. The statement shall be submitted in
2accordance with
timeframes and procedures set forth by the
3Secretary of State for the preparation of the state ballot pamphlet.
4(j) If the ballot contains a question on the confirmation or
5retention of a justice of the Supreme Court, information on justices
6of the Supreme Court who are subject to confirmation or retention.
7(k) If the ballot contains an election for the offices of President
8and Vice President of the United States, a notice that refers voters
9to the Secretary of State’s Internet Web site for information about
10candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the
11United States.
12(l) A written explanation of the appropriate election procedures
13for party-nominated, voter-nominated, and nonpartisan offices as
14required by Section 9083.5.
15(m) A
written explanation of the top 10 contributor lists required
16by Section 84223 of the Government Code, including a description
17of the Internet Web sites where those lists are available to the
18public.
19(n) A copy of all the information posted on the Web page of the
20Internet Web site of the ____ pursuant to the California Financial
21Transparency Act of 2016 (Chapter 5.3 (commencing with Section
228347) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
Chapter 5.3 (commencing with Section 8347) is added
24to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:
25
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the
30California Financial Transparency Act of 2016.
The ____ [an entity of state government] shall post
32all of the following current total amounts on a dedicated Web page
33that is hyperlinked to the homepage of its Internet Web site:
34(a) State revenues.
35(b) State expenditures.
36(c) Unfunded state pension liability.
37(d) Unfunded state retiree medical benefit liability.
38(e) Unfunded infrastructure needs.
39(f) Bond debt.
On or before January 1 and July 1 of each year, the
2____ shall update the Web page required by Section 8347.10.
Section 88001 of the Government Code is amended
4to read:
The ballot pamphlet shall contain all of the following:
6(a) A complete copy of each state measure.
7(b) A copy of the specific constitutional or statutory provision,
8if any, that would be repealed or revised by each state measure.
9(c) A copy of the arguments and rebuttals for and against each
10state measure.
11(d) A copy of the analysis of each state measure.
12(e) Tables of contents, indexes, art work, graphics, and other
13materials that the Secretary of State determines will make the ballot
14pamphlet easier to understand or more useful
for the average voter.
15(f) A notice, conspicuously printed on the cover of the ballot
16pamphlet, indicating that additional copies of the ballot pamphlet
17will be mailed by the county elections official upon request.
18(g) A written explanation of the judicial retention procedure as
19required by Section 9083 of the Elections Code.
20(h) The Voter Bill of Rights pursuant to Section 2300 of the
21Elections Code.
22(i) If the ballot contains an election for the office of United
23States Senator, information on candidates for United States Senator.
24A candidate for United States Senator may purchase the space to
25place a statement in the state ballot pamphlet that does not exceed
26250 words. The statement may not make any reference to any
27opponent of the candidate. The
statement shall be submitted in
28accordance with timeframes and procedures set forth by the
29Secretary of State for the preparation of the state ballot pamphlet.
30(j) If the ballot contains a question as to the confirmation or
31retention of a justice of the Supreme Court, information on justices
32of the Supreme Court who are subject to confirmation or retention.
33(k) If the ballot contains an election for the offices of President
34and Vice President of the United States, a notice that refers voters
35to the Secretary of State’s Internet Web site for information about
36candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the
37United States.
38(l) A written explanation of the appropriate election procedures
39for party-nominated, voter-nominated, and nonpartisan offices as
40required by Section 9083.5 of the Elections
Code.
P5 1(m) A written explanation of the top 10 contributor lists required
2by Section 84223, including a description of the Internet Web sites
3where those lists are available to the public.
4(n) A copy of all the information posted on the Web page of the
5Internet Web site of the ____ pursuant to the California Financial
6Transparency Act of 2016 (Chapter 5.3 (commencing with Section
78347) of Division 1 of Title 2).
The Legislature finds and declares that Section 3 of
9this act, amending Section 88001 of the Government Code, is an
10amendment of the Political Reform Act of 1974 that requires the
11inclusion of additional information on the ballot pamphlet in
12accordance with Section 88007 of the Government Code.
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