Gov. Gavin Newsom has expanded a ban on political consultants lobbying him and his administration to include unpaid advisers, based on recommendations from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

No consultant, whether paid or not, will be permitted to leverage their relationship with the governor to unduly benefit a client in connection with legislative or administrative actions.

Under the new rules, appointees with a high level of influence over administration policy decisions are prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

The rule applies to the governor, his wife, senior officials, policy advisers, and any equivalent position.

The new rules also prohibit influential appointees from working on specific bills in their first two years if they worked on substantially similar bills in the two years prior to joining the Newsom administration.

It will apply to appointees who joined the administration after March 1, 2021.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring a special election for the 54th Assembly District on July 20.

The seat was vacated by Sydney Kamlager who was voted to Senate District 30.

The special primary election will be held on May 18.

The City Ethics Commission announced the mandatory annual adjustments to limits and thresholds in the city’s campaign finance laws.

The new limits apply beginning with any city election for which the fundraising window opens after March 1, 2021.

The per person contribution limits for mayor, city attorney, and controller have been raised to $1,600.

The adjusted limits do not apply to elections for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) updated their regulations regarding local campaign contribution limits due to Assembly 571.

The updates will add language to the regulations regarding candidates for elective city or county offices subject to the state contribution limits.

Those local candidates and their committees will now be subject to the regulations regarding reporting of contributions and expenditures, establishing campaign accounts, solicitation of funds, loans, terminations, and other regulations related to campaign finance.

These regulations do not apply to candidates for an elective city or county office or the candidate’s controlled committee prior to January 1, 2021.

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring a special election for the 79th Assembly District on June 8.

The seat was vacated by Shirley Weber who was appointed California Secretary of State.

The special primary election will be held on April 6.

The San Diego Ethics Commission has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The increase from $600 to $650 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

The Registrar of Voters has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The increase from $850 to $900 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

The Office of the City Clerk of Irvine has announced an increase to the limits on contributions made to local candidates.

The raise from $530 to $550 comes due to an increase in the consumer price index.

This increase is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

Alex Padilla, the son of Mexican immigrants who rose over two decades in politics to become California Secretary of State, will be the first Latino to represent the state in the U.S. Senate.

Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla, a Democrat from Los Angeles, to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

The governor did not specify when Padilla would take over for Harris, who has yet to resign her seat.

Padilla will serve out the remainder of her term, which ends in 2022, and will then have to run to win a full six year term.

The Legislature pushed its return date to Sacramento for the start of the 2021 legislative session back by a week to January 11 due to staggering COVID-19 numbers.

Both houses have instituted pandemic protocols ranging from temperature checks, mandatory masking and social distancing, plexiglass installations at the Capitol’s entrance and more frequent cleaning.

The delay underscores how challenging it will be to continue working uninterrupted in 2021.

Almost daily, new cases in the Capitol community prompt email alerts to all staff and members to announce another case in state government buildings.

Gov. Gavin Newsom set a special election in Los Angeles County to replace state Sen. Holly Mitchell, who left in mid-term for the county board of supervisors.

The special primary election will be held on March 2.

If no candidate wins more than half the vote, a special runoff election will be held on May 4.

In a recent case, a Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

The judge upheld its authority to require disclosure of public money by public entities during an election campaign.

The FPPC faced a challenge from the California State Association of Counties and California School Boards Association of its regulations requiring government agencies spending taxpayer money to influence voters to disclose their activity in the same manner as other individuals, groups, and entities who spend money to influence voters.

In a ruling in Los Angeles Superior Court, the Honorable Judge Mitchell Beckloff ruled the regulations in question are legal and within the authority of the FPPC.

The ruling bolsters the FPPC’s determination these regulations are valid and enforceable.

Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced a lobbying ban for his paid political advisers.

This ban comes after weeks of criticism over his close ties to consultants who also work for corporate clients and other influential interests at the state Capitol.

In a memo shared by the governor’s office, Newsom’s chief of staff, Ann O’Leary, announced a new ethics policy.

The policy bars any of his paid campaign or political consultants from directly lobbying the governor, his staff or state agencies under his control.

Gov. Newsom also committed to not hiring any registered lobbyists as paid consultants.

The ban is effective immediately.

Furthermore, the governor has directed his legal affairs secretary to appoint a chief ethics advisor to advise him and his team on all ethics matters.

The Ethics Commission on Tuesday announced the unanimous selection of David Tristan to serve as the next executive director.

Tristan succeeds Heather Holt, who was hired in 2006 and has served as the executive director since 2011.

His appointment will become effective January 18.

Per the Los Angeles City Charter, the Ethics Commission appoints and discharges its own executive director.

The term limit is 10 years.

Additionally, the executive director may not hold any other public office, be employed as a lobbyist and cannot participate or contribute to any city election campaign during their tenure.