Political Reform Act of 1974: local ballot measure contribution and expenditure reporting.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides that if a committee receives contributions totaling $2,000 or more in a calendar year and is subject to a specified reporting requirement, that committee is required to file online or electronically with the Secretary of State each time it makes contributions of independent expenditures of at least $5,000 to support or oppose the qualification or passage of a single state ballot measure. Existing law requires that the filing occur within 10 business days of the contribution or independent expenditure and that it contain detailed information relating to the committee, ballot initiative, and contribution or independent expenditure. This bill would additionally require a committee to file a report each time it makes contributions or independent expenditures aggregating $5,000 or more to support or oppose the qualification of a single local initiative or referendum ballot measure. The bill would require that the report be filed in a specified manner within 10 business days of reaching the aggregated dollar threshold. The bill would prescribe the information contained within the report. Existing law makes a violation of the act subject to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties. This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by imposing these penalties on persons who violate certain provisions of this bill. 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 of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.