Political Reform Act of 1974: Conflicts of Interest.

Under existing law, Members of the Legislature, elected state officers, and designated employees of state administrative agencies are subject to various restrictions on their activities following their departure from state service. This bill would restrict the postgovernment employment activities of a committee consultant of the Legislature for up to one year following their departure from state service. For a period of one year after leaving employment from the Legislature, a committee consultant designated in the Senate or Assembly's Conflict of Interest Code would be prohibited from engaging in any activity that would require the former committee consultant to register as a lobbyist for influencing any matter under the jurisdiction of their former committee. A violation of the act's provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the 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.