Legislative update – July 2022
The Legislature is on Summer Recess for the month of July and will reconvene August 1.
SB 1352 (pre-election statements)
This bill has been amended to instead require an additional pre-election statement to be filed no later than 70 days before the election, for the period ending 75 days before the election. The portion requiring a candidate to file a report disclosing a contribution of $2,500 or more in the 90 days before an election within 5 business days of receipt was deleted.
SB 794 (excessive contributions)
This bill was amended to delete its prior contents unrelated to the PRA and to replace them with language amending the PRA. It would authorize a committee that receives a contribution with actual knowledge that the contribution is over the applicable contribution limit in the PRA to accept the contribution and return the portion in excess within 72 hours of receipt or before the date of the election, whichever is sooner. The bill would prohibit a committee from using the excessive contribution prior to returning it and would cap the amount of a contribution that may be accepted pursuant to this bill at twice the applicable limit. The bill also codifies an existing regulation allowing return of contributions within 14 days if the committee does not have actual knowledge that the contribution exceeds the applicable contribution limit.
AB 2172 (paper filing with Secretary of State)
This bill has been amended at the Secretary of State’s request to eliminate the requirement that the person must submit two duplicate paper copies to the Secretary of State, and instead requires only one paper copy.
SB 1360 (advertisement disclosures)
Minor amendments were made to this bill to specify what shade of yellow would be acceptable in a video advertisement, along with other clarifying provisions.
SB 1439 (amends Section 84308)
This bill has been amended to remove the requirement that a party to a proceeding submit a statement to the agency disclosing certain contributions.
AB 1783 (expands the definition of “administrative action” under Section 82002)
This bill was amended to change the method of approval. Previously, the bill required voter approval after majority approval by both houses of the Legislature. Now it requires two-thirds approval by both houses and no voter approval.
SB 921 (DATA Act) and SB 1483 (Political Reform Education Program) were both held in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will not be moving forward this year.