Political Reform Act of 1974: slate mailers.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 regulates a type of mass mailings, known as slate mailers, that support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot measures for an election. The act requires a slate mailer organization that displays a logo, insignia, emblem, or trademark that is identical or substantially similar to that of a governmental agency or specified nongovernmental organization to obtain express written permission to do so. The act requires a slate mailer organization that sends a slate mailer or other mass mailing that identifies itself or its source material as representing a nongovernmental organization with a name that would reasonably be understood to imply that the nongovernmental organization is composed of, or affiliated with, law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical, or other public safety personnel, to disclose in the slate mailer or mass mailing the total number of members in the organization identified in the slate mailer or mass mailing. This bill, with regard to this latter category of slate mailers and mass mailings, would require the slate mailer organization to disclose on the mailing, in a specified format, whether the slate mailer organization represents public safety personnel. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the act a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating additional crimes. 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.