Ballot Measure TC passed on November 5, 2024, and amends the City Charter to require lobbyists to register with the Office of City Clerk, pay registration fees, and make disclosures about their lobbying activities.

The measure also makes it unlawful for a lobbyist to deliver any gift to any elected city official, city candidate, city officer, city official, city employee, or a member of a city board, commission, or committee.

Campaign contributions to city candidates are now required to be disclosed in accordance with the California Political Reform Act.

This ballot measure becomes effective once it has been accepted and filed with the Secretary of State.

However, the regulations which pertain to lobbying will be implemented by adoption of an ordinance by City Council at a later date.

On November 5, voters in the City of Los Angeles approved Ballot Measure ER, which changes the City Ethics Commission’s authority and operational independence.

The measure establishes a minimum annual budget for the City Ethics Commission; increases the commission’s authority over spending decision and hiring matters; and allows the commission to obtain outside counsel in limited circumstances.

It also increases the penalties for violations of the city’s ethics laws from $5,000 to $15,000 per violation.

The measure passed overwhelmingly with almost 75% of voter approval and will become effective December 6.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has called upon lawmakers to convene for a special session.

The session is a direct response to the reelection of Donald Trump and will focus on promoting safeguards for the state’s policies on climate changes, reproductive rights, and immigration laws.

The special session will take place on December 2, 2024.

Gov. Nancey Dahlstrom recently approved a ballot measure which would once again impose contribution limits on candidates and contributors.

The measure would go to the voters for approval during the November 2026 general election.

If approved, an individual would be able to contribute up to $2,000 to a candidate per election cycle or up to $5,000 to a political party.

An individual would also be able to contribute up to $4,000 to the governor-lieutenant candidate.

Political parties would have limits of $4,000 to candidates and $5,000 to other parties or political groups.

Those limits would be subject to increases every ten years due to inflation.

If the legislature passes similar legislation before then, the measure would be removed from the ballot in 2026.

On November 5, voters in Oakland approved a ballot measure which amends the City Charter as it relates to the Public Ethics Commission and the Lobbyist Registration Act.

Measure OO, changes the qualifications for members of the commission to prohibit a person from serving on the commission if, within two years, that person was an elected official or candidate for the Oakland Unified School District, a spouse or close family member of a local elected official, an officer or employee of a political party, a registered lobbyist, or a person who made campaign contributions to candidates for local elective officer which total more than two times the local contribution limit (currently $600).

It also prohibits lobbyist from making payments directly benefiting an elected city official, candidate, or their immediate family, such as gifts or compensation, if the cumulative value exceeds $50 in a calendar year.

The measure will go into effect ten days after the vote is declared by the City Council, except the amendments to the Lobbyist Registration Act will be effective January 1, 2025.

Representative Adam Schiff defeated his opponent Republican Steve Garvey, a former Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player.

Rep. Schiff won the Senate seat formerly held by the late Diane Feinstein who passed away last September.

The seat is currently being held by Sen. Laphonza Butler.

Schiff secured victory after gaining 57% of the vote.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson won his bid for Governor against his Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert.

Reichert had always faced an uphill battle as it has been 40 years since the state last had a Republican governor.

The final tally of votes saw Ferguson winning with 56% of the vote.

Republican Tim Sheehy defeated Democrat Senator Jon Tester this past election day.

After seeing his polling numbers down over the summer, Tester was unable to overcome the uphill battle in the final weeks leading up to the election.

Sheehy, a former U.S. Navy Seal, secured victory after gaining 53% of the vote.

Incumbent Gov. Greg Gianforte won reelection for a second term as Montana’s governor and defeated a challenge from his democratic opponent, a former businessman, Ryan Busse.

Gov. Gianforte was heavily favored to win reelection and won by receiving nearly 60% of the vote.

City Council recently passed amendments to the city’s lobbying regulations.

Ordinance 191877 aligns lobbying requirements with the city’s charter, which was changed through a package of reforms when voters approved Measure 26-228 in 2022.

The ordinance aligns post-employment prohibitions with the mayor/council form of government and provides clarity for those regulated by the lobbyist regulations.

The ordinance also amends definitions for city official and city director to align with the new organizational structure for positions, offices, and bureaus tasked with carrying out city business.

The ordinance is effective January 1, 2025.

Federal Judge John A. Mendes of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California has blocked the implementation of Assembly Bill 2839.

The bill targets election misinformation and attempts to regulate a broad spectrum of election-related content which is materially deceptive and uses AI technology.

The court found the law does not use the least restrictive means available for advancing the state’s interest.

Bills regulating the use of AI in election-related communications continue to be a big part of legislative agendas with over half of the states passing or considering AI legislation.

Gov. Newsom signed bills into law this week dealing with pay-to-play provisions contained in the Levine act.

Senate Bill 1181 and 1243 increase the permissible campaign contribution threshold from $250 to $500 regarding contributions to state and local agency officials from certain entities such as corporations and individuals with business before the agency.

The bills also expand the definition of participant and license, permit, or other entitlement for use to exempt certain types of proceedings from being subject to the requirements of the Levine Act.

Other changes include an increase in the period an official may cure a violation from 14 to 30 days.

A section of the bill also clarifies a contribution of an agent will not be aggregated with contributions from a party or participant when determining whether a contribution has exceeded $500.

The bills become effective January 1, 2025.

Gov. Newsom signed a bill with disclosure requirements for political committees creating, originally publishing, or originally distributing a qualified political advertisement.

A qualified political advertisement is an advertisement containing any image, audio, or video generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.

Assembly Bill 2355 requires the disclosure of a qualified political advertisement to be appear at the top of the disclosure area and to be separated from the other required disclosures by a blank line.

The bill becomes effective January 1, 2025.

Voters will decide whether to pass a ballot measure this upcoming November election which would tighten the city’s public ethics laws.

Ballot Measure OO would establish and revise various requirements of the Public Ethics Commission and its members.

It would also amend the lobbyist registration act to prohibit lobbyists from making direct payments of more than $50 per year to local elected officials, candidates, and their families.

If approved by voters on November 5, the measure would be effective 10 days after the vote but the amendments to the lobbyist registration act would be effective January 1, 2025.