Political Reform Act of 1974: contribution prohibitions.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 imposes various limitations on contributions that may be made to, or accepted by, candidates for elective office. The act generally prohibits a person from making a contribution totaling more than $3,000 to a candidate for elective state office, and a candidate for elective state office from accepting a contribution totaling more than $3,000, except as specified. A violation of the act's provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor and subject to specified penalties. This bill would prohibit an electrical corporation or a gas corporation, as defined, from making a contribution to a candidate for elective state office. The bill would also prohibit a candidate for elective state office from accepting a contribution from an electrical corporation or a gas corporation. The bill would clarify that it does not prohibit the making or acceptance of an independent expenditure or a contribution to a political party or political party committee, a legal defense fund, an officeholder account, a small contributor committee, a political action committee, or a candidate controlled ballot measure committee, except as otherwise prohibited by law. By expanding the scope of existing crimes with regard to contribution limitations, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.