August 1, 2011 •
Smartphone Political Contributions in California
FPPC supports the plan
California may become the first state to allow political contributions on the state and local levels to be made by text message on your smartphone. The California Fair Political Practices Commission is behind a plan that would allow such contributions by the 2012 elections. Approval is expected by October.
The hope is that this will allow for small donations and widen the number of people who are engaged in the political process. Last December, the Federal Election Commission rejected a similar plan for federal campaigns.
Here is a Capital Public Radio recording of Commission Chair Ann Ravel talking about the idea and what regulations would need to accompany it.
Today’s San Francisco Chronicle offers “Calif. poised to OK political donations via text,” by Carla Marinucci.
August 1, 2011 •
Santa Clara Court Strikes Down Ban on Late Contributions
Contributions permitted through election day.
Santa Clara Superior Court Judge James P. Kleinberg has issued a proposed decision striking down a San Jose law that bars campaign contributions to candidates during the 17 days leading up to an election.
The proposed decision will be finalized in August.
July 11, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 11, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
IRS Drops Audits of Political Donors
New Breed of ‘Super PACs,’ Other Independent Groups Could Define 2012 Campaign
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Alabama Democratic Conference Files Lawsuit to Stop New Alabama Law Banning Political Fund Transfers
Arizona
Arizona Conservatives Scramble after Campaign Finance Law’s Defeat
California
Marijuana Lobbyist’s Fundraiser for DA Raises Questions
Veil Drawn on Donors to Latino Caucus-Controlled California Nonprofit
Connecticut
Agent Who Arrested Politicians Now Seeks House Seat
Georgia
Illinois
Mayor Rahm Emanuel Proposing New Round of Ethics Reforms
Iowa
Judge Upholds New Iowa Campaign Disclosure Rules
Massachusetts
House Leader Apologizes for Holocaust Remarks
Michigan
Justices Stop Political Gifts Taken at Work
Minnesota
Campaign Board Rejects NOM’s Efforts to Shield Donors in Marriage Battle
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Lt. Gov. Ard Paying $48,000 Fine
Washington
Ex-Prisons Chief Eldon Vail Says He Resigned Because of an Affair with Subordinate
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
July 5, 2011 •
California’s FPPC to Hold Interested Persons’ Meeting
The Fair Political Practices Commission will be holding an interested persons’ meeting on July 14, 2011 to solicit public comment and suggestions on revisions to the Fair Political Practices Commission regulations.
The Commission will discuss “behested payments” and examine the scenario where a public official’s name is listed on the letterhead of a fundraising letter for a nonprofit organization, but neither the official nor any person on his or her staff acts as an agent to solicit donations on behalf of the official.
The commission will also discuss a proposed regulation regarding the use of text messages to raise funds through low dollar contributions.
Lastly, the commission will be discussing a proposed regulation that would allow terminated committees to receive a refund and legally transfer the refund to a new committee without having to reopen the terminated committee so long as both committees report the transaction.
June 15, 2011 •
San Diego Releases Final Version of 2012 Committee Manual
Manual Addresses Changes to Campaign Finance Laws
Pursuant to the city of San Diego’s Election Campaign Control Ordinance, the San Diego Ethics Commission has released the final version of the 2012 Committee Manual.
The manual addresses the recent changes to San Diego’s campaign finance laws and how they will impact each type of committee required to make a report in the 2012 election year.
June 13, 2011 •
Ninth Circuit Issues Opinion in Thalheimer v. City of San Diego
Campaign finance news from San Diego
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has issued an opinion in Thalheimer v. City of San Diego. The Court upheld San Diego’s prohibition on political contributions to candidates, political parties, and political action committees by non-individual entities such as corporations and labor unions.
The district court’s injunction of the prohibition on non-individual entity contributions as it applies to political party contributions to candidates was affirmed.
The Ninth Circuit further upheld San Diego’s law prohibiting contributions to candidates outside of a 12 month pre-election window.
The district court’s decision to preliminarily enjoin a $500 limit on contributions to political committees that make only independent expenditures, which includes contributions by individual and non-individual entities was affirmed.
April 20, 2011 •
California Legislature Proposes Stronger Campaign Finance Laws
A bill to tighten restrictions on political contributions has been introduced in the California legislature.
Assembly Bill 860 would prohibit corporations or labor unions from making contributions to a candidate for elected office. Additionally, this legislation would strengthen the state pay-to-play laws.
The bill would prohibit government contractors from making contributions to an official or candidate who is or would be elected to a position responsible for awarding a government contract to the contributor.
Finally, this bill would also prohibit any employer from using payroll deduction to fund any political activity.
Photo of the California State Capitol by Nikopoley on Wikipedia.
A bill has been introduced in the General Assembly to simultaneously broaden the scope of the state’s campaign finance reporting laws and simplify the reporting schedule.
Under Assembly Bill 447, all committees making expenditures or receiving contributions of more than $500 would be required to file quarterly statements.
The legislation would eliminate independent expenditure reports, odd-year committee reports, and certain supplemental pre-election reports. Instead, all officers, candidates, and committees would have one pre-election report due 16 days before an election.
Late contribution reports would still be required within 24 hours of making a contribution near an election.
Photo of the California State Assembly Chamber by Lincolnite on Wikipedia.
March 9, 2011 •
News from the City of Angels
Voters Approve Pay-to-Play Restrictions
Voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the city charter placing serious restrictions on the ability of those doing business or seeking to do business with the city to make campaign contributions.
The pay-to-play rule, which passed with a vote of 75 percent in favor, will prohibit anyone bidding on a contract with Los Angeles worth $100,000 or more from donating to or fundraising for city officials with the authority to approve the contract on which he or she is bidding.
Photo of Los Angeles City Hall by Brion VIBBER on Wikipedia.
February 28, 2011 •
California Governor Names New Head of Fair Political Practices Commission
Governor Brown has appointed Ann Ravel to the Chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).
Ms. Ravel is the commission’s first chairwoman and has an established career in public service. She has served as counsel for Santa Clara County and most recently with the U.S. Justice Department.
Ravel has indicated she may reverse the recently enacted policy of publishing allegations on the FPPC’s website before investigations are concluded out of consideration for politicians and others who may be wrongfully accused of an infraction and later cleared.
Ms. Ravel replaces Dan Schnur, a Schwarzenegger appointee, atop the commission.
Photo of Ann Ravel courtesy of the Santa Clara County website.
February 28, 2011 •
CalPERS to Strengthen Ethics Policies
New rules would regulate fee payments to placement agents, other proposals have been postponed.

Directors of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) adopted several new ethics proposals. Among the proposals are rules to regulate fee payments to placement agents, who help funds gain access to CalPERS decision makers, and rules to ensure the same staff members who negotiate investment deals do not monitor their success.
Additionally, the directors approved a requirement for investment partners to hold meetings in modest office settings instead of vacation resorts. The directors postponed decisions on proposals to reduce or eliminate travel, gifts, and other accommodations outside investment firms provide board members, and to impose a two-year “revolving door” ban on certain CalPERS employees.
These regulations being put in place are in line with legislation taking effect earlier this year requiring placement agents to register as lobbyists and regulating how the agents are paid.
Photo of CalPERS headquarters by Coolcaesar on Wikipedia.
February 22, 2011 •
Increased Transparency Coming to the O.C.
County Lobbyists Must Register

Starting July 1, those in Orange County, California who are seeking to influence county government will be required to register with the Board of Supervisors. Under the new law, county lobbyists must register within 10 days of commencing lobbying activity and renew these registrations annually.
The registration fee will be $75 for an initial registration and $50 for each annual renewal thereafter. Orange County is the largest municipality in the state without a system for monitoring and disclosing lobbying activity. The regulation does not apply to those lobbying on behalf of nonprofit organizations.
February 3, 2011 •
News You Can Use from California
Lobbyist receives fine
Jim Sedor, editor of News You Can Use, pointed out this article – “Lobbyist for San Manuel Tribe Fined $30,000 by State” from Tuesday’s Riverside Press-Enterprise.
According to the article, lobbyist Frank Molina of Strategic Solutions Advisors was fined $30,000 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to file lobbying reports. The article states Molina has lobbied for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, both operating casinos.
News You Can Use is State and Federal Communications’ weekly summary of national news focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
January 5, 2011 •
Los Angeles Voters to Decide on Pay-to-Play Ban
Ballot measure will be decided on March 8
City Council has approved a ballot measure proposed by the Los Angeles Ethics Commission creating a ban on pay-to-play contributions.
If passed on March 8, the Charter amendment will prohibit companies bidding on city contracts from giving campaign donations to city candidates.
Companies found in violation of the ban would be barred from doing business with the city for one to four years.
Photo of the Los Angeles financial district by Bobak on Wikipedia.
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