An act to amend Sections 82013, 82036, 82036.5, 84101, 84103, 84200.6, 84206, 84207, 84218, and 85201 of, to repeal Sections 84200.7, 84202.5, and 84203.5 of, and to repeal and add Section 84200.5 of, the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.
Section 82013 of the Government Code is amended to read:
82013.
“Committee” means any person or combination of persons who directly or indirectly does any of the following:
(a) Receives contributions totaling two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more in a calendar year.
(b) Makes independent expenditures totaling one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more in a calendar year; or
(c) Makes contributions totaling ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more in a calendar year to or at the behest of candidates or committees.
A person or combination of persons that becomes a committee shall retain its status as a committee until such time as that status is terminated pursuant to Section 84214.
SEC. 2.
Section 82036 of the Government Code is amended to read:
82036.
“Late contribution” means any of the following:
(a) A contribution, including a loan, that totals in the aggregate one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more and is made to or received by a candidate, a controlled committee, or a committee formed or existing primarily to support or oppose a candidate or measure during the 90-day period preceding the date of the election, or on the date of the election, at which the candidate or measure is to be voted on. For purposes of the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement Board, “the date of the election” is the deadline to return ballots.
(b) A contribution, including a loan, that totals in the aggregate one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more and is made to or received by a political party committee, as defined in Section 85205, within 90 days before the date of a state election or on the date of the election.
SEC. 3.
Section 82036.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:
82036.5.
“Late independent expenditure” means an independent expenditure that totals in the aggregate one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more and is made for or against a specific candidate or measure involved in an election during the 90-day period preceding the date of the election or on the date of the election. For purposes of the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement Board, “the date of the election” is the deadline to return ballots.
SEC. 4.
Section 84101 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84101.
(a) A committee that is a committee by virtue of subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file a statement of organization. The committee shall file the original of the statement of organization with the Secretary of State and shall also file a copy of the statement of organization with the local filing officer, if any, with whom the committee is required to file the originals of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215. The original and copy of the statement of organization shall be filed within 10 days after the committee has qualified as a committee. The Secretary of State shall assign a number to each committee that files a statement of organization and shall notify the committee of the number. The Secretary of State shall send a copy of statements filed pursuant to this section to the county elections official of each county that he or she deems appropriate. A county elections official who receives a copy of a statement of organization from the Secretary of State pursuant to this section shall send a copy of the statement to the clerk of each city in the county that he or she deems appropriate.
(b) In addition to filing the statement of organization as required by subdivision (a), if a committee qualifies as a committee under subdivision (a) of Section 82013 before the date of an election in connection with which the committee is required to file preelection statements, but after the closing date of the last campaign statement required to be filed before the election pursuant to Section 84200.8 or 84200.9, the committee shall file, by facsimile transmission, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours of qualifying as a committee, the information required to be reported in the statement of organization. The information required by this subdivision shall be filed with the filing officer with whom the committee is required to file the originals of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215.
(c) If an independent expenditure committee qualifies as a committee pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 during the time period described in Section 82036.5 and makes independent expenditures of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more to support or oppose a candidate or candidates for office, the committee shall file, by facsimile transmission, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours of qualifying as a committee, the information required to be reported in the statement of organization. The information required by this section shall be filed with the filing officer with whom the committee is required to file the original of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215, and shall be filed at all locations required for the candidate or candidates supported or opposed by the independent expenditures. The filings required by this section are in addition to filings that may be required by Section 84204.
(d) For purposes of this section, in calculating whether two thousand dollars ($2,000) in contributions has been received, payments for a filing fee or for a statement of qualifications to appear in a sample ballot shall not be included if these payments have been made from the candidate’s personal funds.
SEC. 5.
Section 84103 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84103.
(a) If there is a change in any of the information contained in a statement of organization, an amendment shall be filed within 10 days to reflect the change. The committee shall file the original of the amendment with the Secretary of State and shall also file a copy of the amendment with the local filing officer, if any, with whom the committee is required to file the originals of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215.
(b) In addition to filing an amendment to a statement of organization as required by subdivision (a), a committee as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall, by facsimile transmission, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours, notify the filing officer with whom it is required to file the originals of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215 if the change requiring the amendment occurs before the date of the election in connection with which the committee is required to file a preelection statement, but after the closing date of the last preelection statement required to be filed for the election pursuant to Section 84200.8, if any of the following information is changed:
(1) The name of the committee.
(2) The name of the treasurer or other principal officers.
(3) The name of any candidate or committee by which the committee is controlled or with which it acts jointly.
The notification shall include the changed information, the date of the change, the name of the person providing the notification, and the committee’s name and identification number.
A committee may file a notification online only if the appropriate filing officer is capable of receiving the notification in that manner.
SEC. 6.
Section 84200.5 of the Government Code is repealed.
SEC. 7.
Section 84200.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:
84200.5.
In addition to the campaign statements required by Section 84200, elected officers, candidates, and committees shall file preelection statements as follows:
(a) All candidates appearing on the ballot to be voted on at the next election, their controlled committees, and committees primarily formed to support or oppose an elected officer, candidate, or a measure appearing on the ballot to be voted on at the next election shall file the applicable preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8.
(b) All elected state officers and candidates for elective state office who are not appearing on the ballot at the next statewide primary or general election, and who, during the preelection reporting periods covered by Section 84200.8, contribute to any committee required to report receipts, expenditures, or contributions pursuant to this title, or make an independent expenditure of five hundred dollars ($500) or more in connection with the statewide primary or general election, shall file the applicable preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8.
(c) A state or county general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013, other than a political party committee as defined in Section 85205, shall file the applicable preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8 if it makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more in connection with the statewide primary or general election during the period covered by the preelection statements. However, a state or county general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 82013 is not required to file the preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8.
(d) A political party committee as defined in Section 85205 shall file the applicable preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8 in connection with a state election if the committee receives contributions totaling one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, or if it makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more, in connection with the election during the period covered by the preelection statement.
(e) A city general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file the applicable preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8 if it makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more in connection with a city election in the committee’s jurisdiction during the period covered by the preelection statements. However, a city general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 82013 is not required to file the preelection statements specified in Section 84200.8.
(f) During an election period for the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System or the Teachers’ Retirement Board:
(1) All candidates for these boards, their controlled committees, and committees primarily formed to support or oppose the candidates shall file the preelection statements specified in Section 84200.9.
(2) A state or county general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file the preelection statements specified in Section 84200.9 if it makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more during the period covered by the preelection statement to support or oppose a candidate, or a committee primarily formed to support or oppose a candidate on the ballot for the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System or the Teachers’ Retirement Board.
(3) However, a general purpose committee formed pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 82013 is not required to file the statements specified in Section 84200.9.
SEC. 8.
Section 84200.6 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84200.6.
In addition to the campaign statements required by Sections 84200 and 84200.5, all candidates and committees shall file the following special statements and reports:
(a) Late contribution reports, when required by Section 84203.
(b) Late independent expenditure reports, when required by Section 84204.
SEC. 9.
Section 84200.7 of the Government Code is repealed.
SEC. 10.
Section 84202.5 of the Government Code is repealed.
SEC. 11.
Section 84203.5 of the Government Code is repealed.
SEC. 12.
Section 84206 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84206.
(a) The commission shall provide by regulation for a short form for filing reports required by this article for candidates or officeholders who receive contributions of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000), and who make expenditures of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000), in a calendar year.
(b) For the purposes of this section, in calculating whether two thousand dollars ($2,000) in expenditures have been made, payments for a filing fee or for a statement of qualification shall not be included if these payments have been made from the candidate’s personal funds.
(c) Every candidate or officeholder who has filed a short form pursuant to subdivision (a), and who thereafter receives contributions or makes expenditures totaling two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more in a calendar year, shall send written notification to the Secretary of State, the local filing officer, and each candidate contending for the same office within 48 hours of receiving or expending a total of two thousand dollars ($2,000). The written notification shall revoke the previously filed short form statement.
SEC. 13.
Section 84207 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84207.
(a) An elected member of, or a candidate for election to, a county central committee of a qualified political party who receives contributions of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) and who makes expenditures of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year shall not be required to file any campaign statements required by this title.
(b) Notwithstanding Sections 81009.5 and 81013, a local government agency shall not impose any filing requirements on an elected member of, or a candidate for election to, a county central committee of a qualified political party who receives contributions of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) and who makes expenditures of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year.
SEC. 14.
Section 84218 of the Government Code is amended to read:
84218.
(a) A slate mailer organization shall file semiannual campaign statements no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30, and no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31.
(b) In addition to the semiannual statements required by subdivision (a), a slate mailer organization which produces a slate mailer supporting or opposing candidates or measures being voted on in an election shall file the statements specified in Section 84200.8 if, during the period covered by the preelection statement, the slate mailer organization receives payments totaling five hundred dollars ($500) or more from any person for the support of or opposition to candidates or ballot measures in one or more slate mailers, or expends five hundred dollars ($500) or more to produce one or more slate mailers.
(c) A slate mailer organization shall file two copies of its campaign reports with the clerk of the county in which it is domiciled. A slate mailer organization is domiciled at the address listed on its statement of organization unless it is domiciled outside California, in which case its domicile shall be deemed to be Los Angeles County for purposes of this section.
In addition, slate mailer organizations shall file campaign reports as follows:
(1) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in a state election, or in more than one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as state general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84215.
(2) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one county, or in more than one jurisdiction within one county, shall file campaign reports in the same manner as county general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 84215.
(3) A slate mailer organization which produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in only one city shall file campaign reports in the same manner as city general purpose committees pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 84215.
(4) Notwithstanding the above, no slate mailer organization shall be required to file more than the original and one copy, or two copies, of a campaign report with any one county or city clerk or with the Secretary of State.
SEC. 15.
Section 85201 of the Government Code is amended to read:
85201.
(a) Upon the filing of the statement of intention pursuant to Section 85200, the individual shall establish one campaign contribution account at an office of a financial institution located in the state.
(b) As required by subdivision (f) of Section 84102, a candidate who raises contributions of two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more in a calendar year shall set forth the name and address of the financial institution where the candidate has established a campaign contribution account and the account number on the committee statement of organization filed pursuant to Sections 84101 and 84103.
(c) All contributions or loans made to the candidate, to a person on behalf of the candidate, or to the candidate’s controlled committee shall be deposited in the account.
(d) Any personal funds which will be utilized to promote the election of the candidate shall be deposited in the account prior to expenditure.
(e) All campaign expenditures shall be made from the account.
(f) Subdivisions (d) and (e) do not apply to a candidate’s payment for a filing fee and statement of qualifications from his or her personal funds.
(g) This section does not apply to a candidate who will not receive contributions and who makes expenditures from personal funds of less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year to support his or her candidacy. For purposes of this section, a candidate’s payment for a filing fee and statement of qualifications shall not be included in calculating the total expenditures made.
(h) An individual who raises contributions from others for his or her campaign, but who raises or spends less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year, and does not qualify as a committee under Section 82013, shall establish a campaign contribution account pursuant to subdivision (a), but is not required to file a committee statement of organization pursuant to Section 84101 or other statement of bank account information.
SEC. 16.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
SEC. 17.
The Legislature finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code.

Summary: 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. The act requires elected officers, candidates, and committees to file various reports, including semiannual reports, preelection statements, and supplemental preelection statements.
This bill would recast the requirements for filing preelection statements and would repeal other reporting requirements, including supplemental preelection statements and supplemental independent expenditure reports.
The act defines “committee” to include a person or combination of persons who receives contributions or makes independent expenditures of $1,000 or more in a calendar year. The act defines “late contributions” and “late independent expenditures” for purposes of the act to include certain contributions and independent expenditures, respectively, that are made within 90 days before the date of the election.
This bill would revise the definition of “committee” by increasing the qualifying monetary threshold to $2,000 for contributions received by a person or combination of persons.
This bill would revise the definitions of “late contributions” and “late independent expenditures” to specify that those terms also include contributions and independent expenditures that are made on the date of the election.
The bill would also make conforming changes.
A violation of the act’s provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act’s purposes upon a
2/3
vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements.
This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.