On November 8, voters in California rejected a proposition requiring the state not pay for any prescription drug from a drug manufacturer at any price over the lowest price paid for the same drug by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With over 96.6 percent of the precincts reporting, 53.7 percent voted against the proposition and 46.3 percent voted for it, according to the California Secretary of State’s office.

Proposition 61, which would have created The California Drug Price Relief Act, applied to any program where the state agency is the ultimate payer for a prescription drug, even if the state agency does not itself buy the drug. The proposition exempted purchases of prescription drugs under managed care programs funded through Medi-Cal, which offers comprehensive health coverage to the state’s low-income residents. The managed care program serves approximately 75 percent of Medi-Cal enrollees. The proposition only applied to the fee-for-service system of Medi-Cal covering the remaining 25 percent of enrollees.

Opponents of the proposition argued drug manufacturers could decline to offer the state certain drugs sold to the VA or increase drug prices for the VA to reduce any decrease to profits.

On November 8, California voters approved a proposition directing state elected officials overturn Citizens United.

Overturn of Citizens United Act Advisory Question (Proposition 59) asked voters to affirm state elected officials should use all constitutional authority, including, but not limited to, proposing and ratifying one or more amendments to the U.S. Constitution to overturn Citizens United and other applicable judicial precedents to allow the full regulation or limitation of campaign spending. The proposition also directs the officials to act to make clear corporations should not have the same constitutional rights as human beings.

As of 5:00 a.m., with over 90 percent of the precincts reporting, the proposition passed 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent, according to the California Secretary of State’s office.

On Election Day, Berkeley voters will consider a measure to create a voluntary system of public financing for city elections.

Measure X1 seeks to allow candidates agreeing to limit their acceptance of contributions to $50 or less to qualify for matching funds from the city in the amount of $6 for every $1 raised from Berkeley residents.

Measure X1 was made possible by the recent passage of SB 1107, which allows any state or local government in California to provide for the public funding of elections.

On October 20, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) approved a regulation to provide further direction on how nonprofit organizations should report donor names relating to travel payments.

The regulation creates Form 807 for the purpose of disclosing donor information of nonprofits that regularly organize and host travel for elected officials. The regulation will become effective 30 days after the FPPC files it with the Office of the Secretary of State.

The San Diego City Council voted to amend the Election Campaign Control Ordinance to make changes recommended by the Ethics Commission.

Among the amendments are provisions to eliminate the third pre-election filing for primarily formed recipient committees and extend the one-year pre-election fundraising time period to January 1 of odd-numbered years.

The amendments will go into effect on January 1, 2017.

Photo of the San Diego skyline courtesy of Tomcio77 on Wikimedia Commons.

On November 17, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider proposed regulations to make biennial cost of living adjustments to campaign contribution and gift limits that will apply from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018.

The proposed regulations would change the gift limit from $460 to $470 and make increases to campaign contribution limits.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposals until November 15, 2016.

Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown approved a series of bills affecting campaign finance and lobbying requirements.

Senate Bill 215 will require any entity or person seeking to influence actions taken by the Public Utilities Commission to register as a lobbyist under the Political Reform Act of 1974.

Senate Bill 1349 will overhaul Cal-Access, California’s outdated online campaign contribution and lobbying database.

And Senate Bill 1107 establishes citizen-funded elections reforms, enabling the creation of small donor matching programs where candidates who voluntarily opt in and agree to turn down large contributions receive limited public matching funds for each small contribution they secure.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill requiring persons submitting bids or proposals of $100,000 or more to state agencies to certify they are in compliance with the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

The law is aimed at preventing state agencies from contracting with businesses that boycott Israel.

This law becomes effective January 1, 2017.

The first reports under the Fair Political Practices Commission’s new amended reporting requirements for “other payments to influence legislative or administrative action” are due October 31.

The third quarter report covers the period of July 1 to September 30, 2016.

Lobbyist employers and persons spending $5,000 or more to influence legislative or administrative action will need to itemize “other payments to influence legislative or administrative action” using the new Form 640.

On October 20, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider a proposed regulation to provide further direction on how nonprofit organizations should report donor names relating to travel payments.

The proposed regulation would create Form 807 for the purpose of disclosing donor information of nonprofits that regularly organize and host travel for elected officials.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposal until October 18, 2016.

On August 31, the California Legislature adjourned its regular session.

Before adjourning, the Legislature sent several ethics bills to Gov. Jerry Brown, including Senate Bill 215, which contains provisions requiring those seeking to influence actions taken by the Public Utilities Commission to register as a lobbyists.

Brown has until September 30 to sign or veto legislation.

The California Legislature has been very active in the days leading up to the August 31 deadline for each house to pass bills. On August 30, Assembly Bill 700, a measure that would impose new disclosure requirements for political advertisements, failed by a single vote in the Senate.

Senate Bill 1349 had better luck gaining passage yesterday and is headed for Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. SB 1349 will require changes to Cal-Access, California’s outdated online campaign contribution and lobbying database.

Photo of the California State Capitol by Griffin5 on Wikimedia Commons.

Effective September 3, 2016, city elected officials in San Francisco will be prohibited from controlling candidate controlled general purpose committees.

The goal of the new ordinance is to stop elected officials from establishing such committees to use as slush funds for unlimited contributions.

Candidates controlling candidate controlled general purpose committees will be required to return, use, or dispose of all committee funds within 90 days of taking office.

City Councilman Felipe Fuentes will resign on September 11, nearly 10 months before his term ends, to become a lobbyist with the Apex Group in Sacramento.

In his new role, Fuentes will advocate for Associated General Contractors of California, a statewide trade association.

The council could call for a special election to fill his seat, but the 2017 city election schedule makes the scenario unlikely. The municipal election is already scheduled for March; if no candidate receives a majority in the March election, a May runoff will be held.