Political Reform Act of 1974: statement of economic interests.

Existing provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974 require specified candidates for elective office, elected and appointed state officers, and public officers and employees to file statements of economic interests with specified entities according to the employing agency or office of the officer, employee, or candidate. This bill would direct persons appointed to a state board, commission, or similar multimember body of the state, other than those specified in the existing provisions described above, to file their statements of economic interests with the respective board, commission, or body. The bill would require the original statements of economic interests to be handled as set forth in the Conflict of Interest Code of the respective board, commission, or body and, if the board, commission, or body is not required to send the original to the Fair Political Practices Commission pursuant to its Conflict of Interest Code, the bill would require the board, commission, or body to forward a copy to the Fair Political Practices Commission. Existing provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974, with respect to statewide elected officers, candidates for statewide elective office, Members of the Legislature, the State Board of Equalization, and candidates for the Legislature or the State Board of Equalization, require copies of the statements of economic interests be sent, among other places, to the Secretary of State and certain local elections officials, as specified. This bill would eliminate the requirement that copies of the above-described statements of economic interests be sent to the Secretary of State and the specified local elections officials. Because a violation of the act is a misdemeanor, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. 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 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.