BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 334
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Date of Hearing: August 17, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 334 (DeSaulnier) - As Amended: April 26, 2011
Policy Committee: ElectionsVote:5-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill amends the Political Reform Act (PRA) to require the
state ballot pamphlet (voter information guide) to include
information regarding the largest contributors for and against
each state measure appearing on that ballot. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Requires the state ballot pamphlet, immediately below the
analysis of a state ballot measure prepared by the Legislative
Analyst, to include:
a) Lists of the five highest contributors, as defined, of
$50,000 or more to each committee supporting and opposing
the measure.
b) The total amount of each of the above contributions as
of 110 days before election day or, if a special election
is called, on a date before the special election day as
deemed feasible by the Secretary of State (SOS). (This
110-day timeframe accommodates the SOS's schedule for
finalizing the pamphlet prior to printing.)
c) A printed statement that reads substantially similar to
the following: "To learn who contributed to committees
supporting or opposing each state measure, access the
Secretary of State's Internet Web site at �Internet Web
site address]."
2)Requires the lists and statement described above to be
followed by a statement that the lists only reflect the
highest contributors of $50,000 or more as of 110 days before
election day or, as of a different number of days as specified
SB 334
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for a special election by the SOS.
FISCAL EFFECT
Potential minor GF costs for additional printing in the state
ballot pamphlet. For every additional page required due to the
bill's requirement, the cost would be $66,000. However, the
SOS's office formats the voter information guide in 16-page
increments, thus there is often blank space available for
additional information, such as that required by SB 334.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, "In recent years, observers
noted that interests have increasingly turned to California's
initiative system to amend the California Constitution or
state statutes to benefit themselves. Because SB 334 requires
information to be gathered and disclosed as of 110 days before
Election Day, the bill will help voters determine the
interests behind the qualification efforts of ballot
measures."
2)Related Legislation . A similar bill (AB 65, Gatto) passed this
committee earlier this year, but was subsequently amended to
address a different elections-related topic.
3)Prior Legislation . SB 1202 (DeSaulnier) of 2010, which
required a similar listing, but only for the five largest
contributors supporting an initiative, was vetoed by Governor
Schwarzenegger, who argued that the bill would "create
confusion for voters and encourage late contributions" and
would create cost pressure at the SOS's Office.
4)The PRA , passed by the voters in 1974, created the Fair
Political Practices Commission and codified significant
restrictions and prohibitions on candidates, officeholders,
and lobbyists. Amendments to the PRA that are not submitted to
the voters must further the purposes of the initiative and
require a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature,
unless the amendments, such as those proposed in this bill,
are to add information to the ballot pamphlet, whereby only a
majority vote is required.
SB 334
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Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081