CaliforniaPolitical Reform Act of 1974: security expenses.
What it does
The Political Reform Act of 1974 regulates the use of campaign funds held by candidates for elective office, elected officers, and campaign committees. The act authorizes a candidate or elected officer to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the reasonable costs of installing and monitoring a home or office electronic security system or for another tangible item related to security, and for the reasonable costs of providing personal security to a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff of a candidate or elected officer, provided that the threat or potential threat to safety arises from the candidate's or elected officer's activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer or from staff's position as staff of the candidate or elected officer. The act permits a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes during their lifetime.
More detail
This bill would eliminate that monetary cap until January 1, 2029. Beginning January 1, 2029, the bill would instead permit a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes per calendar year.
Existing law exempts payments to a relative, within the third degree of consanguinity, of a candidate or elected officer from the definition of "security expenses."
This bill would instead exempt payments to the candidate's or elected officer's spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, or first cousin or the spouse of any such person from the definition of "security expenses."
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 89517.5 of the Government Code proposed by AB 808, to be operative only if this bill and AB 808 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements.
This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 11Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 621, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 11Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 24Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 13Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 65. Noes 6. Page 3465.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 789 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 13Joint Rules 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.)
- Sep 12In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB789 Bonta et al. By Cabaldon. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 12Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 4. Page 2985.).Passed Senate
- Sep 4Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 3Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 26Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 25Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Jul 16Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jul 15From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 15).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.Major
- Jun 25Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.Minor
- Jun 24Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Jun 24Withdrawn from committee.Major
- Jun 23From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Major
- May 7Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Apr 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 789 Bonta Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 59. Noes 4. Page 1170.)Passed Assembly
- Apr 3Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Apr 2From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 1).Minor
- Apr 1
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Mar 17From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 17Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Feb 19From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
- Feb 18Read first time. To print.Introduced