Political Reform Act of 1974: electronic filings.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 generally requires statewide elected officials, elected members of specified entities, candidates for elective office, certain committees, and slate mailer organizations to file periodic campaign statements and certain reports concerning campaign finances and related matters. The act also requires lobbying firms, lobbying coalitions, and individual lobbyists to file a registration statement with the Secretary of State, as specified. Existing law, until the Secretary of State develops and certifies an online filing and disclosure system, requires the filing of these documents online or electronically, if specified conditions are met, and requires that once a person or entity is required to file online or electronically, they are required to file all subsequent reports online or electronically. For persons or entities who file online or electronically with the Secretary of State, existing law requires those persons or entities to also file the original and one copy of the statement or report on paper, with the original serving as the official copy for audit and other legal purposes. This bill would authorize a person required to file a report or statement with the Secretary of State in a paper format to file the report or statement by email or other digital means prescribed by the Secretary of State instead, subject to specified requirements. The bill would provide that a report or statement filed by email in accordance with these provisions is the original for audit and other legal purposes. The bill would eliminate the requirement that a person file a copy of the report or statement with the original when filing on paper. 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.