Campaign contributions: agency officers.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 prohibits an officer of an agency from accepting, soliciting, or directing a contribution of more than $250 from any party, participant, or a party or participant's agent, while a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use is pending before the agency and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered in the proceeding, if the officer knows or has reason to know that the participant has a financial interest, as defined. Existing law permits an officer who violates this prohibition to cure the violation by returning the contribution, or portion of the contribution in excess of $250, within 14 days of accepting, soliciting, or directing the contribution, as specified. Existing law also prohibits a party or party's agent from making a contribution of more than $250 to any officer of an agency while a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use is pending before the agency and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered by the agency in that proceeding. This bill would raise the threshold for contributions regulated by these provisions to $1,500, as specified. 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.