AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 27, 2025

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 17, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

CHAPTER 331

Statutes of 2025

[ Approved by Governor October 3, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 3, 2025. ]

Introduced by Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments (Senators Cervantes (Chair), Allen, Choi, Limón, and Umberg)

February 27, 2025

An act to amend Sections 8252.5, 81012, 84309, and 87500 of the Government Code, relating to state and local government.

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

(1) The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of political campaigns, lobbying, and other matters relating to governmental ethics and elections. The act is an initiative measure that authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions by enactment of a bill by a ⅔ vote of each house if that bill furthers the act’s purposes and, at least 8 days before passage, or at least 12 days before passage if the previous form of the bill did not amend the act, the bill in its final form has been delivered to the Fair Political Practices Commission for distribution to the news media and every person who has requested a copy from the commission. The act requires the Legislative Counsel, through a specified electronic system, to allow the public to sign up to receive an email alert any time a bill that would amend the act is, among other things, introduced, amended, referred to the floor or committee, or voted on.

This bill would eliminate the requirement that a bill amending the act must be delivered to the commission for distribution to the news media and every person who has requested a copy, instead requiring an otherwise proper amendment of the act to be printed, distributed to the Members of the Legislature, and published on the internet. The bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.

The act also regulates conflicts of interest of public officials and requires that public officials file periodic statements of economic interest that disclose certain information regarding income, investments, and other financial data. The act provides that the Fair Political Practices Commission is the filing officer for statewide elected officers and candidates and other specified public officials, and requires those officers, candidates, and officials to file their statements of economic interest using the commission’s electronic filing system.

This bill would add public officials who manage public investments to the list of individuals for whom the commission is the filing officer for statements of economic interest and would require those officials to file their statements of economic interest using the commission’s electronic filing system.

The act also prohibits the receipt, delivery, or attempted delivery of a contribution in the State Capitol, any state office building, or any office for which the state pays the majority of the rent other than a legislative district office.

This bill would expand that prohibition to apply to local government office buildings and offices for which the state or a local government pays rent. The bill would also eliminate the exception for legislative district offices.

A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By establishing new requirements for the filing of statements of economic interests and by expanding the scope of restrictions on contributions, this bill would expand the scope of existing crimes, and therefore would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2) The Voters FIRST Act, an initiative measure approved by the electors as Proposition 11 at the November 4, 2008, statewide general election, requires the Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw district lines for the election of members of the State Senate, Assembly, Congress, and the State Board of Equalization. The act requires new members of the commission to be chosen in each year ending in 0 according to a specified selection process. Under existing law, any vacancy on the commission that occurs prior to December 31 of a year ending in 2 must be filled by the commission within 30 days and any vacancy that occurs on or after December 31 of a year ending in 2 must be filled within 90 days, as specified.

This bill would eliminate the requirement for the commission to fill a vacancy that occurs on or after December 31 of a year ending in 2 within 90 days and would instead authorize the commission to fill that vacancy.

The Voters FIRST Act authorizes the Legislature to amend the statutory provisions of the act by a statute that (1) is approved by a ⅔ vote of each house of the Legislature and signed by the Governor, (2) furthers the act’s purposes, and (3) complies with specified procedural requirements.

(3) This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the Voters FIRST Act and the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974.

(4) 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 people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 8252.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8252.5.

Citizens Redistricting Commission Vacancy, Removal, Resignation, Absence.

(a) In the event of substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, or inability to discharge the duties of office, a member of the commission may be removed by the Governor with the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of the Senate after having been served written notice and provided with an opportunity for a response. A finding of substantial neglect of duty or gross misconduct in office may result in referral to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution or the appropriate administrative agency for investigation.

(b) (1) Any vacancy, whether created by removal, resignation, or absence, in the 14 commission positions that occurs prior to December 31 of a year ending in the number two shall be filled by the commission within the 30 days after the vacancy occurs, from the subpool of applicants of the same voter registration category as the vacating nominee that was remaining after all legislative leaders exercised their strikes pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 8252.

(2) Any vacancy, whether created by removal, resignation, or absence, in the 14 commission positions that occurs on or after December 31 of a year ending in the number two may be filled by the commission from the subpool of applicants of the same voter registration category as the vacating nominee that was remaining after all legislative leaders exercised their strikes pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 8252.

(3) If none of those remaining applicants are available for service, the State Auditor shall establish a new subpool for the same voter registration category in accordance with Section 8252.

SEC. 2.

Section 81012 of the Government Code is amended to read:

81012.

This title may be amended or repealed by the procedures set forth in this section. If any portion of subdivision (a) is declared invalid, then subdivision (b) shall be the exclusive means of amending or repealing this title.

(a) This title may be amended to further its purposes by statute, passed in each house by rollcall vote entered in the journal, two-thirds of the membership concurring and signed by the Governor, if at least 8 days before passage in each house, or at least 12 days before passage in each house if the previous form of the bill did not amend this title, the bill in its final form has been printed, distributed to the Members of the Legislature, and published on the internet.

(b) This title may be amended or repealed by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the electors.

SEC. 3.

Section 84309 of the Government Code is amended to read:

84309.

(a) A person shall not receive or personally deliver or attempt to deliver a contribution in the State Capitol, any state or local government office building, or any office for which the state or a local government pays rent.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Personally deliver” means delivery of a contribution in person or causing a contribution to be delivered in person by an agent or intermediary.

(2) “Receive” includes the receipt of a campaign contribution delivered in person.

(3) “State or local government office building” means any building owned by the state or a local government in which more than 50 percent of the total floor area is used as office space for government employees.

SEC. 4.

Section 87500 of the Government Code is amended to read:

87500.

(a) (1) A statement of economic interests filed by a public official, for whom the Commission is the filing officer, shall be filed with the Commission using the Commission’s electronic filing system.

(2) The Commission shall be the filing officer for statements of economic interests filed by all of the following:

(A) A statewide elected officer or candidate for statewide elective office.

(B) A member of, or candidate for, the Legislature or State Board of Equalization.

(C) A member of the Public Utilities Commission, State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, or California Coastal Commission.

(D) A member of a state licensing or regulatory board, bureau, or commission.

(E) A person appointed to a state board, commission, or similar multimember body of the state if the Commission has been designated as the filing officer in the conflict of interest code of the respective board, commission, or body.

(F) A person holding, or candidate for, the office of district attorney, county counsel, county treasurer, or county board of supervisors.

(G) A city manager or, if there is no city manager, the chief administrative officer.

(H) A person holding, or candidate for, the office of city council member, city treasurer, city attorney, or mayor.

(I) A county planning commissioner or city planning commissioner.

(J) A county chief administrative officer.

(K) A judge, court commissioner, or candidate for judge.

(L) A head of a local government agency or member of a local government board or commission, for which the Commission is the code reviewing body, if the Commission has been designated as the filing officer in the conflict of interest code of the respective agency, board, or commission.

(M) A designated employee of the Legislature directed to file directly with the Commission by the house of the Legislature by which the designated employee is employed.

(N) A designated employee of more than one joint powers insurance agency who elects to file a multiagency statement pursuant to Section 87350.

(O) A public official who manages public investments.

(b) A statement of economic interests filed by a public official, for whom the Commission is not the filing officer, shall be filed as follows:

(1) Members of the Commission shall file electronically using the Commission’s electronic filing system and the Commission shall send a copy of the filing to the office of the Attorney General, which shall be the filing officer.

(2) Except as provided in subparagraph (L) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and this paragraph, a head of a local government agency, member of a local government agency board or commission, or member of a board or commission not under the jurisdiction of a local legislative body shall file one original with the agency, board, or commission, which shall make and retain a copy and forward the original to the code reviewing body, which shall be the filing officer. The code reviewing body may require that the original be filed directly with the code reviewing body and that no copy be retained by the agency, board, or commission.

(3) Except as provided in subparagraph (M) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), a designated employee of the Legislature shall file one original with the house of the Legislature by which the designated employee is employed.

(c) A person not otherwise designated in this section shall file one original with the agency or with the code reviewing body, as provided by the code reviewing body in the agency’s conflict of interest code.

SEC. 5.

The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this bill furthers the purposes of the Voters FIRST Act within the meaning of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 8251 of the Government Code.

SEC. 6.

The Legislature finds and declares that Sections 2, 3, and 4 of this bill further the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code.

SEC. 7.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.