BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1514
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Date of Hearing: May 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 1514 (Hayashi) - As Amended: April 28, 2009
Policy Committee: ElectionsVote:6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill amends the Political Reform Act (PRA) to enhance
reporting requirements for campaign committees and slate mailer
organizations. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires state campaign committees that are required to file
campaign reports electronically with the Secretary of State
(SOS)-during the last 90 days before an election in which the
committee is making contributions or independent expenditures
in connection with a candidate or measure on the ballot-to
report within 24 hours following the receipt of any
contribution of $1,000 or more. This is the same as the
existing requirements for candidates for state office and
committees formed primarily to support or oppose state ballot
measures.
2)Requires committees subject to (1) to report electronically
within 10 business days of receiving any contribution of
$5,000 or more at any time other then 90 days before an
election.
3)Requires slate mailer organizations to file semi-annual
campaign statements regardless of the amount of payments
received or expenditures made to produce slate mailers.
4)Subjects slate mailer organizations that are required to file
campaign reports online and that have received payments in
connection with an election cycle to the same reporting
deadlines and dollar limits imposed in (1) and (2) on campaign
committees.
FISCAL EFFECT
AB 1514
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Minor absorbable costs to the SOS and to the Fair Political
Practices Commission, which enforces the PRA.
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 49 (Karnette)/Chapter 866 of 1997 required the
SOS to develop a process whereby reports and statements
required under the PRA could be filed online and viewed by the
public. SB 49 also required certain candidates, committees,
slate mailer organizations, lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and
lobbying firms to file campaign reports online.
AB 696 (Longville)/Chapter 917 of 2001 required the SOS to
provide a means whereby individuals subject to mandatory
electronic or online filing may submit required filings free
of charge. While AB 696 required the free filing option to be
developed by December 31, 2002, the SOS did not report
completing the free filing option until February 1, 2007.
2)Purpose . The sponsor of AB 1514, the SOS, argues that it is
appropriate to make the "election cycle" reporting
requirements that currently apply only to candidates and
primarily formed ballot measure committees applicable to all
committees. In support of such a policy, the SOS argues that
the development of the free filing system eliminates the
rationale for excluding other committees from this "election
cycle" reporting.
3)Related Legislation . AB 1181 (Huber), also on today's
committee agenda, lowers the monetary thresholds that trigger
mandatory electronic reporting (as opposed to allowing paper
reporting) of campaign contributions and expenditures by
candidates, officeholders, major donors, and slate mailer
organizations.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081