Legislative Transparency Act.

Existing law requires the Assembly Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Joint Rules Committee to annually prepare a report to the public of all expenditures made from the operating fund subject to their direction and control, including a list of expenditures for each Member and committee of the Legislature, as prescribed. This bill would require the Assembly Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Joint Rules Committee, as appropriate, to provide to each Member of the Assembly and Senate a monthly report of that Member's office and committee budgets, as specified. The bill would require each Member of the Legislature to publish the monthly budget report on the Member's Internet Web site or legislative committee Internet Web site, as specified. Existing provisions of the California Constitution provide for the manner in which the Legislature may pass a bill, and authorize the Legislature to adopt rules for its proceedings. This bill would prohibit either house of the Legislature from taking a vote on any bill until the bill, in its present form, has been made available to the public on an Internet Web site for at least 72 hours, unless the house dispenses with this requirement by a 23 vote. The Political Reform Act of 1974 imposes various reporting and disclosure requirements on contributions made to or by candidates and candidate-controlled committees. This bill would require a Member of the Legislature or a controlled committee of a Member of the Legislature that receives a legislative deadline contribution to report that contribution within 24 hours, as prescribed. The bill would define "legislative deadline contribution" to mean a contribution of $100 or more that is made to a Member of the Legislature or a controlled committee of a Member of the Legislature within the 7 days prior to specified legislative deadlines for a regular session of the Legislature. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the act a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. By creating additional crimes, 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 act may be amended by a statute that becomes effective upon approval of the voters. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill that would amend the Political Reform Act of 1974 to the voters for approval at a statewide election, as specified.