Political Reform Act of 1974: online and electronic filing.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Fair Political Practices Commission, to develop an online and electronic filing system to be used by certain entities, including specified candidates, general purpose committees, slate mailer organizations, and lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers, in filing statements and reports required under the act. The act imposes certain online or electronic disclosure requirements that are specific to the 1998 statewide general election and the 2000 statewide primary election. The act also appropriates to the Secretary of State the sum of $1,100,000 for the purpose of developing online or electronic disclosure systems, effective September 16, 1999. Under existing law, an appropriation is available to be encumbered for 3 years after the date upon which it first became available for encumbrance. This bill would repeal the provisions relating to online or electronic disclosure requirements specific to the 1998 statewide general election and the 2000 statewide primary election. The bill would also repeal the provision making a $1,100,000 appropriation to the Secretary of State, which has been available for encumbrance for more than 3 years. 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 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.