BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 481|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 481
Author: Gordon (D), et al
Amended: 6/25/12 in Senate
Vote: 27
PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
SUBJECT : Political Reform Act
SOURCE : Fair Political Practices Commission
DIGEST : This bill makes numerous changes to laws
governing the reporting of independent campaign
expenditures and identifying an independent expenditure
committees principal officer for liability purposes.
Senate Floor Amendments of 6/25/12 delete the prior version
of the bill relating to petition signature gatherings and
replaces it with the above language.
ANALYSIS : Existing law, the Political Reform Act of
1974, provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign
financing, including requiring the reporting of campaign
contributions and expenditures and imposing other reporting
and recordkeeping requirements on campaign committees.
This bill requires each campaign committee to identify its
principal officer or officers, as defined, and requires
each principal officer to maintain the committee's accounts
and records. In addition, this bill requires a committee's
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principal officer, in the event the committee files a
statement or report disclosing an independent expenditure,
to sign a verification verifying that the independent
expenditure has not been reimbursed or coordinated with the
candidate or the proponent of the state measure that is the
subject of the expenditure.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 defines "late
contribution" and "late independent expenditure" as any
contribution or independent expenditure totaling in the
aggregate $1,000 or more that is made for or against any
specific candidate, committee, or measure involved in an
election that is made or received before the date of the
election but after the closing date of the last campaign
statement required to be filed prior to the election.
This bill instead defines "late contribution" and "late
independent expenditure" to mean a contribution or
independent expenditure made within 90 days before the date
of the election at which the candidate or measure is to be
voted on. In addition, this bill requires that a report of
a late independent expenditure also disclose the cumulative
total the committee has expended for independent
expenditures relating to the candidate or measure.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires that broadcast
and mass mailing advertisements supporting or opposing
candidates or ballot measures include disclosure statements
that reflect specified information.
This bill requires any advertisement supporting or opposing
candidates or ballot measures to include such disclosure
statements.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/26/12)
Fair Political Practices Commission (source)
DLW:d 6/26/12 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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