Behested payments: public appeal for payment.

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In Section 1.5 (the version of Section 84224 that would take effect if AB 808 is enacted after this bill), the phrase 'file their campaign statements' was changed to 'file their campaign reports,' likely a terminology correction to match the standard term used elsewhere in the Political Reform Act.

The speech-based exemption from reporting was narrowed. It no longer applies if the speech is given at an event held for fundraising purposes and the officer consents in advance to be a speaker, consents to be featured in a solicitation, or publicly solicits contributions to the recipient organization.

A new exception was added: the public appeal exemption does not apply if the payee is a non-governmental organization and the officer or member knows that they, a family member, campaign staff, or officeholder staff holds a position with that organization, including board membership, executive officer role, salaried employment, founding member status, or honorary/advisory board position.

The knowledge condition was changed from 'is informed that a specific payment was made as a result of' the public appeal to 'knows, within two years of the payment, that a specific payment was made in response to' the public appeal, adding an explicit two-year window.

A new paragraph (3) was added stating that if an officer does not know at the time that a payment was made in response to their public appeal, the 30-day reporting deadline begins on the date they first learn of it.

The list of qualifying public appeal means was reorganized: separate items for distribution of 200 or more printed materials and a single email to 200 or more recipients were removed, and the speech threshold was confirmed at 100 individuals (previously shown as an amendment from 20).

Assembly Member Solache was added as a coauthor of the bill.

The 'material financial effect' test was removed. Previously, the public appeal exemption did not apply if it was reasonably foreseeable that a payment would have a material financial effect distinguishable from its effect on the public generally on the officer or their immediate family. This condition is gone entirely.

The speech exemption no longer requires an audience of 100 or more individuals. The old version specified 'A public speech to a group of 100 or more individuals.' The new version simply says 'A public speech,' broadening the exemption to cover speeches at smaller gatherings.

A new Section 1.5 was added that incorporates amendments to Government Code Section 84224 proposed by AB 808. This section only becomes operative if both bills are enacted, both amend Section 84224, and SB 760 is enacted after AB 808. It provides a mechanism for the two bills to coordinate their amendments to the same code section.

Senator Blakespear was added as a co-author of the bill alongside Assembly Member Solache.

The threshold for a public speech to qualify as an exempt 'public appeal' was raised from 20 or more individuals to 100 or more individuals. This means speeches to groups of 20-99 people no longer trigger the reporting exemption, so behested payments resulting from such smaller speeches would now require disclosure.

In the exception that requires reporting despite a public appeal, the standard changed from the officer being 'informed' that a specific payment was made to the officer 'knows' that a specific payment was made. This is a broader standard because 'knows' can encompass actual knowledge through any means, not just being formally told.

The bill no longer amends Section 81000 of the Government Code, which contained only a nonsubstantive naming provision for the Political Reform Act of 1974. This removes a cosmetic change and narrows the bill to its core purpose.

Terminology was standardized throughout: 'official' was changed to 'officer' in multiple places to match the statutory language used elsewhere in the section, and minor clarifying edits were made to sentence structure in subdivision (c)(2).

New Section 84224 requires elected officers and PUC members to report behested payments within 30 days once payments from the same source reach $5,000 in aggregate in a calendar year. Reports must include payor name and address, amount, dates, payee, description of goods or services, and purpose of the payment.

Defines a reportable behested payment as one made at the behest of an elected officer or PUC member, where no full and adequate consideration is provided in exchange, that is principally for a legislative, governmental, or charitable purpose, and (if legislative or governmental) not made by a state, local, or federal government agency.

Creates an exemption from reporting if the behest results from a public appeal via television, radio, billboard, online platform message, distribution of 200 or more identical printed pieces, a single email to 200 or more recipients, or a speech to 20 or more individuals.

The public appeal exemption does not apply if it is reasonably foreseeable the payment will have a material financial effect distinguishable from its effect on the general public on the official or their immediate family, or if the officer is informed that a specific payment was made as a result of their public appeal.

Requires state agencies (including PUC) to forward copies of reports to the Fair Political Practices Commission within 30 days, and local agencies to forward copies to the officer with whom elected officers file campaign statements.

Added a legislative finding that the bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 under Section 81012(a), which is required because the PRA is an initiative measure and amendments require a two-thirds vote of each house.

The bill's scope expanded from a single nonsubstantive typo correction in Section 81000 to a multi-section bill adding an entirely new reporting regime (Section 84224) alongside the original typo fix. The required vote changed from majority to two-thirds.