Last updated February 26, 2025
Fair Political Practices Commission News
SB 1243 and SB 1181, which were signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September now are in effect. The bills made changes to the Levine Act for 2025. The threshold for contributions that trigger disqualification and disclosure increased from $250 to $500. The new rules also provide exceptions for procurement and development agreements, make changes to the agent aggregation rules, and increase the time limit to cure violations after the date of the final decision.
Effective February 1, 2025, Alf W. Brandt has been appointed by the California Secretary of State as a Commissioner on the Fair Political Practices Commission. Commissioner Brandt’s term is four years.
Federal Election Commission News
The Federal Election Commission has adjusted its civil penalties for 2025. As adjusted, the civil penalty amounts listed under 11 CFR 111.24 for violations of federal campaign finance rules have increased from a range of $7,256-$84,852 to a range of $7,445 to $87,056.
Filing Schedules for 2025 have been posted to the Commission’s website, including the quarterly reporting schedule for House and Senate campaigns, monthly and semi-annual schedules for PAC and party committees, special elections, independent expenditures, and coordinated communications.
City of Torrance, CA News
At the November General Election, the voters of Torrance, CA approved Measure TC, which now requires lobbyists to register and file reports with the City. The measure also requires ethics training for City officials, strengthens the conflict-of-interest restrictions, and increases disclosure requirements for campaign contributions to candidates for City office. Full text of the measure is available online.