September 10, 2012 •
California Special Election Scheduled for January 8, 2013 for the 4th Senate District
Election called following resignation of Senator Doug LaMalfa
Governor Brown has ordered a special election resulting from the resignation of Senator Doug LaMalfa.
The special election for the 4th Senate District will be held on January 8, 2013. The special election’s primary will be held on November 6, 2012.
Photo of the California State Capitol by Henri Sivonen on Wikipedia.
August 30, 2012 •
California’s San Bernardino County Sets Contribution Limits
$3,900 limit and $10,000 disclosure requirement begin in 2013.
The Board of Supervisors has adopted an ordinance limiting campaign contributions for all county elective office candidates, and increasing public disclosure requirements for independent expenditures.
The new ordinance limits contributions to $3,900 per election cycle from a single source, including corporations, special interest groups, and individuals. The ordinance also requires all county candidates and independent expenditure committees to electronically report contributions and expenditures exceeding $10,000.
The ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2013.
Seal of San Bernardino County courtesy of Jetijones on Wikipedia.
August 23, 2012 •
California Raising Registration Fees for Lobbyists and Political Committees
Senate Bill 1001 awaits governor’s approval
Lobbyists and political committees will be paying more for registration when Governor Jerry Brown signs Senate Bill 1001 into law. The bill passed both houses with the two-thirds majority required to amend the state’s Political Reform Act. Political committees would pay $50 to register and lobbyists would pay $100 to register for a biennial session.
The increased revenue will help with maintaining California’s Cal-Access website, which tracks lobbying activity and campaign finance reports. Political committees currently have no registration fee and lobbyists currently pay $50 to register for the biennial session.
August 22, 2012 •
San Bernardino County Approves Campaign Contribution Limits
$3,900 limit for supervisors and countywide candidates
The Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved campaign contribution limits to take effect January 1, 2013. The ordinance subjects supervisors and countywide candidates to the same limits as state legislative candidates at $3,900 per election cycle from individuals and $7,800 from small contributor committees.
Contributions or expenditures of $10,000 or more to candidates and independent expenditure committees will now be disclosed electronically. Currently, state law requires disclosure for amounts greater than $50,000 for state and independent committees, but no requirements are in place for local races.
The ordinance goes before the board again Tuesday, August 28, 2012 for adoption.
Seal of San Bernardino County, California by Jetijones on Wikipedia.
August 21, 2012 •
Tuesday Campaign Finance News Summary
A bill for greater disclosure in California, politicians owing fines in Louisiana, and more in today’s campaign finance news:
California: “Bill would let voters impose greater disclosure requirements on political campaign spending” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
Hawaii: “Cashing In: Hawaii’s Top Ten Campaign Donors” by Lindsey Txakeeyang in the Honolulu Civil Beat.
Louisiana: “Lee Zurik Investigation: Politicians owe the state thousands in fines” by Lee Zurik on WVUE Fox 8 News.
Nebraska: “Campaign finance donation removed from state tax return” in the Lincoln Journal Star.
“Romney’s campaign coffers have $60 million more than Obama’s” by T.W. Farnam in the Washington Post.
“Ask Kim Barker Anything About Campaign Finance (a Reddit Chat)” by Amanda Zamora in ProPublica.
August 20, 2012 •
California Special Session Planned for December
President’s healthcare to be the issue
Governor Jerry Brown has told legislative leaders he intends to call a special session to deal with issues related to the federal healthcare law signed by President Obama in 2010.
The special session, planned for December, will give the governor and lawmakers an opportunity to keep working on healthcare proposals that have failed in the current session, which ends August 31, 2012.
Bills passed in a special session can take effect within 90 days of passage rather than at the beginning of the following calendar year.
Photo of the California State Capitol by Henri Sivonen in Wikipedia.
July 25, 2012 •
California County Allowed to Contract with the FPPC
Contribution limits coming soon to San Bernardino County
Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill allowing the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to enforce new campaign finance rules in the county. This is the first time the FPPC has been authorized by statute to contract with a county to enforce its campaign contribution limits.
County Supervisor Janice Rutherford originally proposed contracting with the FPPC to enforce a proposed county campaign law in lieu of creating a county ethics commission. Now with statutory permission in place, the county may proceed to craft a campaign finance law and negotiate contractual terms with the FPPC. Rutherford plans to bring her previous proposal to limit campaign contributions to $3,900 back before the board on August 21, 2012 for consideration.
Seal of San Bernardino County by Jetijones on Wikipedia.
July 24, 2012 •
California Local Lobbying and Campaign Reporting Bill Approved
Electronic filing systems must meet criteria by 2013
Governor Jerry Brown has approved Assembly Bill 2452, which changes the criteria local government agencies must meet in order to require campaign and lobbying reports to be filed electronically. The bill was chaptered in the Political Reform Act as section 84615.
A local government agency requiring campaign committees and lobbyists to file electronically must provide a secure, standardized, and free filing system. In addition, if a local ordinance requires a statement or report to be filed electronically, local officials can no longer require an additional copy to be filed in paper format.
The law becomes effective January 1, 2013.
July 23, 2012 •
Santa Ana to Consider Ethics Commission
Forum will discuss campaign finance, lobbying, and transparency
A citizens’ oversight committee to take on ethics-related issues will be studied by a committee of city council. City coalitions, including a group of organizations that are pushing a sunshine ordinance, are pushing for a city ethics commission in order to review issues having to do with campaign finance, regulation of lobbyists, and transparency.
Proponents say the ethics commission could be created by voters or the council. David Tristan, deputy executive director of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, will talk about what his commission does, and the forum will take up the possibility of creating an ethics commission in Santa Ana.
For information about the July 26, 2012 forum, email info@santaanacoalition.org.
July 13, 2012 •
California Lobbyist Reporting Regulation Amended
FPPC allows cheese and wine exception to gift valuations at “drop-in” events.
The Fair Political Practices Commission has approved a change to simplify lobbyist reporting requirements for “drop-in” events.
The amendment to regulation 18640 allows appetizers and beverages to be excluded from the gift valuation for an official who does not stay for any meal or entertainment. The value of the gift is now any specific item, other than food, presented to the official and guest accompanying the official, if the official notifies the lobbyist in writing that the official did not stay for any meal or entertainment.
The amendment provides consistency with regulation 18946.2(e), which was previously amended to exclude the value of appetizers and drinks from the value of a gift received by an official who briefly appears or drops by an invitation-only event. Prior to the amendment, the value of the gift received was limited to the actual value of the food and beverages consumed by the official and guest, along with the value of any specific item received at the event.
Image of the Seal of California courtesy of Zscout370 on Wikipedia.
June 5, 2012 •
San Diego Ethics Commission to Consider Amendments
Additional lobbyist reporting may be required
The San Diego Ethics Commission is meeting June 14, 2012 to discuss a prepared draft of municipal code amendments concerning campaign related issues, including one which pertains to the lobbying ordinance. Decision point 14 would amend applicable provisions of the lobbying ordinance to require the disclosure of contributions provided to, and fundraising performed for, committees that are primarily formed to support city candidates.
The draft amendments are available on the commission’s website.
The public is invited to provide comment on the proposed amendments at the June 14, 2012, meeting, which will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the committee room on the 12th floor of the city administration building. Correspondence may also be sent by e-mail at: ethicscommission@sandiego.gov.
Photo of the San Diego skyline by Tomcio77 on Wikipedia.
May 10, 2012 •
California Draft Legislation to Require Lobbyist Registration for Tax Agents
AB 404 responds to pay-to-play in L.A. County
Assemblyman Mike Gatto is preparing legislation in response to the alleged pay-to-play scandal at the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office. The bill, AB 404, would require tax agents to register as lobbyists in counties already regulating lobbying.
Tax agents are hired by property owners to persuade appraisers and the assessor that property values are lower than listed. While the bill leaves it up to the counties to craft specific regulations, the draft regulations would require tax agents to register as lobbyists with the county, would forbid them from making campaign contributions to any county elected official, and would also bar them from giving gifts worth more than $50 to county employees.
The district attorney’s office is investigating allegations that one tax agent, Ramin Salari, used contributions to obtain favorable treatment from Assessor John Noguez. A former appraiser, Scott Schenter, claimed to have cut roll values with the expectation that affected property owners would be more likely to donate to Noguez’s campaign.
April 23, 2012 •
Today’s Lobbying News Roundup
Keep up with the latest lobbying news with these articles:
“Big lobbying spending dips” by Dave Levinthal in Politico.
“U.S. Chamber of Commerce Continues to Spend Heavily on Lobbying, Filings Show” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
“K Streeters Adjusting to Loss of Earmarks” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
“Fears of lame-duck session in Congress could boost K Street’s bottom line” by Kevin Bogardus and Rachel Leven in The Hill.
California: “How to wire a state capital” by Charles Mahtesian in Politico.
California: “AT&T wields enormous power in Sacramento” by Shane Goldmacher and Anthony York in The Los Angeles Times.
Minnesota: “Not all laws come from high-powered lobbying campaigns” by John Reinan in the MinnPost.
April 23, 2012 •
Campaign Finance in the News
Here is an opinion piece about Citizens United. Blogs as paid political platforms – California’s FPPC may require disclosure of the payments to political blogs. Also, Virginia successfully meets its first electronic filing deadline:
Federal: “How to Beat Citizens United” by E.J. Dionne, Jr. in The Washington Post.
Arkansas: “Arkansas attorney general certifies ballot wording for item on lobbying, campaign finance” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
California: “State political watchdog chair wants bloggers to reveal payments” by Brian Joseph in the Orange County Register.
California: “California ethics czar urges disclosure of payments to Web pundits” by Patrick McGreevey in the Los Angeles Times.
California: “California looks to crack down on political bloggers paid by campaigns” by Jim Sanders in The Sacramento Bee.
Virginia: “New Electronic Campaign Filing Lauded in Virginia” by The Associated Press in Governing.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.