Democratic legislative leaders are reassessing campaign finance practices and have canceled a lucrative golf fundraiser scheduled for the weekend. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Sen. Kevin de León announced plans to conduct a “vigorous review” of fundraising practices and campaign finance laws following the suspension of Sen.

Leland Yee and two other senators involved in separate criminal investigations.

The senate leaders announced the cancellation of the Pro Tem Cup, an annual golf fundraiser at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Tickets were to benefit the state Democratic Party with a price range from $15,000 to $65,000 per person.

Photo of the California Senate Chamber courtesy of David Monniaux on Wikimedia Commons.

State Senator Leland Yee has been arrested on public corruption charges as part of several arrests made by the FBI.

Yee represents District 8, which includes San Francisco and San Mateo County. The former San Francisco supervisor and 2011 mayoral candidate is currently running for secretary of state.

Yee was honored last week by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his efforts last year to maintain the requirements of the California Public Records Act.

Photo of State Senator Leland Yee courtesy of Tim Bartel on Wikimedia Commons.

Lawmakers sent Gov. Jerry Brown a bill designed to strengthen campaign finance laws in response to a recent case prompting the largest campaign reporting fine in state history. Assembly Bill 800 gives the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) the authority to audit campaign funds and seek court injunctions to force compliance with its investigations before elections.

The bill is a response to $15 million in anonymous donations given through an Arizona-based nonprofit that funneled the cash to California political action committees through intermediary groups. The FPPC issued a $1 million fine against two of the groups involved.

Lawmakers called a press conference to announce a package of bills to make major upgrades to government accountability rules and practices. Senator Ricardo Lara and Kevin de Leon have filed Senate Bill 1441 through Senate Bill 1444 as spot bills, with the intention to add substantive provisions at a later date.

The bills will include a ban on fundraisers at lobbyists’ homes and a ban on all gifts from lobbyists.

There is also a proposal to lower the current non-lobbyist gift limit of $440 to $200 for state and local officials.

The Board of Supervisors has adopted a Lobbyist Ordinance to regulate any person who contacts certain county officials with the purpose of promoting, supporting, modifying, opposing, or causing delay or abandonment of conduct. Ordinance No. NS-19-42 regulates contract lobbyists, in-house lobbyists, lobbying firms, and expenditure filers who influence policy without directly contacting officials.

Legislative, procurement, and grassroots activity is covered by the ordinance, which specifically provides for the possibility a political action committee will qualify as an in-house lobbyist.

Registration and disclosure forms will be available when the ordinance becomes effective on March 27, 2014.

The Ethics Commission will be holding a series of workshops over the next few months to receive input concerning proposed amendments to campaign laws. The suggested reforms include classifying the duplication of candidates’ campaign materials as nonmonetary contributions instead of independent expenditures.

In addition, the commission seeks to curb the practice of making independent expenditures on credit so as to delay disclosure of donors who verbally agree to pay the debt after the election.

Commission staff researched and produced a report to be discussed at the next commission meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2014. The report is available here.

Lawmakers approved a pair of bills to strengthen the authority of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and require political nonprofits to reveal their donors. The Assembly approved Senate Bill 27, requiring tax-exempt nonprofits actively involved in elections to comply with campaign finance reporting requirements.

The bill also requires campaign committees raising more than $1 million to maintain an accurate list of the top 10 contributors of $10,000 or more. Those lists would be placed on the FPPC website before elections.

The Senate approved Assembly Bill 800 to give the FPPC more enforcement powers including the ability to audit campaign reports before elections and for two years after elections. Both bills return to their original house for votes on amendments.

If signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, the changes would be effective July 1, 2014.

Photo of the California State Capitol courtesy of Sascha Brückon Wikimedia Commons.

Following recent scandals involving the Legislature, the leader of the Senate has assembled a group of lawmakers to recommend changes in state ethics and campaign laws. Senate President Darrell Steinberg formed the Senate Ethics Working Group after controversies including allegations of bribery against Sen. Ronald Calderon and a proposed fine of $40,000 for campaign money laundering against Sen. Tom Berryhill.

In the Assembly, a recent six-figure fine against one of the state’s top lobbyists has motivated Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia to propose a ban on lobbyist in-home fundraisers.

Lobbyists currently may host private fundraisers in their home as long they cost less than $500, even though lobbyists cannot directly give more than $10 per month in gifts directly to elected officials.

The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, February 4, to pursue outsourcing the enforcement of political ethics to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Officials will ask the state Legislature to authorize the FPPC to enforce county ethics ordinances.

The unanimous vote was in response to a 2013 grand jury report titled, “A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County.”

Supporters of the approach cite San Bernardino County, which recently contracted with the FPPC to audit county campaigns and to prosecute ethics violations. The grand jury’s proposal would also give an independent authority the power to recommend ordinance changes concerning conflicts of interest, gifts, contract procurement, campaign finance, and lobbying.

On November 19, 2013, a special election was held to replace former mayor Bob Filner, who submitted his resignation amid scandal. Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election is scheduled for February 11, 2014.

Individuals may contribute up to $1,000 to the mayoral candidates for the runoff election. Contributions from committees and corporations are not permitted in city elections.

Seal of San Diego courtesy of Zscout370 on Wikimedia Commons.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved revisions to the campaign finance reform ordinance. The changes were requested by the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which enforces the county ordinance. Under the revised ordinance, contributions may be received for a general election before the primary has taken place, so long as the funds are set aside until after the primary.

The term “independent expenditure committee” will be removed from a section pertaining to electronic filing requirements for contributions of $10,000 or more and will be replaced with the more inclusive “other person, entity, or committee.”

The board also authorized new language in the ordinance giving the FPPC permission to give technical assistance to donors in the same manner it advises candidates.

The revisions are scheduled for final adoption on February 11, 2014.

City Council President Herb Wesson abandoned a plan to increase the value of gifts lawmakers can accept from companies seeking city contracts, opting to leave the amount unchanged at $100.

In October, City Council instructed the city’s lawyers to draft an ordinance increasing the gift limit to $150, despite a recommendation by the Ethics Commission to prohibit most gifts of any value.

The city’s ethics law will continue to bar lobbyists from giving gifts to elected officials and other high-level decision makers.

Those who do not have business before the city will continue to be permitted to give gifts to elected officials within the state limit of $440 per year. –

Gov. Jerry Brown issued a proclamation declaring a special election for Senate District 23. The primary will be held on March 25, 2014.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special general election will be held June 3, 2014.

The vacancy occurred following the resignation by Bill Emmerson. Senate District 23 includes portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

The Ethics Commission has approved a regulation providing a method for candidates and campaign committees to comply with due diligence requirements of the pay-to-play restrictions.

Code section 1.126 prohibits a city or county contractor from contributing to a candidate who can determine whether a contract is awarded.

Regulation 1.126-7 will require the contributor to certify he or she is not an not an owner, director, officer, or named subcontractor of any entity currently negotiating or recently awarded a contract with the city, county, or other covered agency.

The regulation is effective January 24, 2014.