Elections and Reapportionment

Political Reform
Elections
Reapportionment

Political Reform

SB 3* (Perata-D) Political Reform Act: cumulative contributions

Defines cumulative contributions as the aggregated contributions of each person to a committee during the period starting January 1 of the year prior to the year in which a ballot measure is submitted to the voters and ending within seven days of the time advertisement for or against the measure is sent to the printer or broadcast station.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 300 (McPherson-R) Political Reform Act

Declares the Legislature's intent to implement certain recommendations of the Bipartisan Committee on the Political Reform Act, especially with regard to the creation of a streamlined, understandable filing schedule and the elimination of unnecessary and redundant filings. Provides that nothing in the definition of political activity is to be construed to permit the solicitation of, or request for, a campaign contribution or donation of an kind that is made in person using state office space, facilities, or land, or that is communicated using a state telephone, computer, or equipment.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

SB 584 (Perata-D) Political Reform Act

Provides that loans and other indebtedness incurred by an individual that are made in a lender's regular course of business do not constitute income for the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974.

Chapter 172, Statutes of 2002

SB 879* (Brulte-R) Bipartisan CA Commission on Internet Political Practices

Extends the sunset date of the Bipartisan California Commission on Internet Political Practices from October 1, 2002 to January 1, 2004.

Chapter 499, Statutes of 2002

SB 1620 (Knight-R) Political Reform Act: conflict of interest

Requires members of a board or commission of a newly created agency to file statements of economic interest according to the Political Reform Act requirements until the agency adopts an approved conflict of interest code.

Chapter 264, Statutes of 2002

SB 1741 (Johnson-R) Late contributions

Requires the recipient of a late contribution to disclose whether the contribution was made in the form of a loan.

Chapter 211, Statutes of 2002

SB 1742 (Johnson-R) Returning of contributions

Prohibits a candidate from returning contributions to himself/herself which the candidate previously made to his/her own controlled committee.

Chapter 212, Statutes of 2002

SB 1781 (Johnson-R) Economic interests

Allows the Fair Political Practice Commission to impose a monetary penalty of up to $10,000 per violation for failure to report economic interests that are required to be disclosed on a statement of economic interests.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1782 (Johnson-R) Political Reform Act: consultants

Requires the Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC) to have a central list at the FPPC of all consultants who are not required to file a statement of economic interests, as specified.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1783 (Johnson-R) Political Reform Act: disclosure

Redefines the term "jurisdiction" for the purposes of reporting interests in investments, real property, and business positions to include the entire state, regardless of the jurisdiction of the state or local entity with which the individual required to file the statement of economic interests holds a position.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1806 (Knight-R) Campaign contributions: Governor

Prohibits any person, or small contributor committee, from making any contribution to the Governor within the final bill signing period of a legislative year, starting on the 30th day prior to, and ending on the day after the last day that a Governor may sign a bill into law following adjournment of the Legislature.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1850 (Poochigian-R) Political Reform Act: disclosure

Extends the deadline for filing the statement disclosing a candidate's investments interest in real property, and any income received during the immediate 12 months to 10 days after the final filing date for declaration of candidacy. Makes this extension inapplicable to individuals declaring candidacy pursuant to a statement of write-in candidacy.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 2095 (Johnson-R) Independent expenditures

Requires the Secretary of State to link online independent expenditure reports to the candidate or ballot measure affected by the expenditure on the Secretary of State Web site.

Chapter 511, Statutes of 2002

AB 13 (Florez-D) Political Reform Act: contracts for goods or service

Requires that registration information, activity reports, and activity expense reports filed by a lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, and a lobbyist disclose information relating to decisions or interests on contracts for goods and services.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

AB 190 (Longville-D) Campaign finance

Enacts the Campaign Financing Reform Act of 2002, which provides for public funds for legislative candidates to match private contributions received, as specified. Allows taxpayers to demand on their income tax return up to $5, or up to $10 in case of married individuals filing a joint return, to be transferred to the Legislative Election Fund.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

Similar legislation is AB 2134 (Longville-D), which died in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1791 (Runner-R) Political Reform Act: disclosure

Requires designated employees and officeholders, who are appointed or nominated, to file a statement of economic interest by their 20th day of employment, instead of 30 days after being hired. Requires the hiring authority to notify each employee or consultant of his/her obligation to file a statement of economic interest.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1797 (Harman-R) Conflicts of interest

Requires state or local public officials, when they have a financial interest in a pending decision, to publicly identify the financial interest giving rise to a conflict of interest and to rescue themselves and leave the room until the matter is concluded. Exempts members of the Legislature from this requirement.

Chapter 233, Statutes of 2002

AB 2366 (Dickerson-R) Political Reform Act: financial interest

Increases amount of sales a business located in a small jurisdiction may receive from a customer, before that customer must be considered a source of income to any public official with a financial interest in the business. Restricts the bill to jurisdictions with 350 or fewer retail businesses.

Chapter 654, Statutes of 2002

AB 2642 (Maddox-R) Political Reform Act: online disclosures

Allows the Secretary of State's Office to eliminate the requirement that candidates file paper disclosure reports to specified entities if the reports are filed online or electronically.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 3051 (Papan-D) Independent expenditure committees

Requires a specific disclaimer for advertisements made by independent expenditure committees which identify the committee and the cost of the advertisement.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

Elections

SB 137 (Haynes-R) Presidential electors

Revises the process for the election of presidential electors on a congressional district-by-district basis, rather than statewide.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

Similar legislation was AB 45 (Strickland-R), which died in the Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee.

SB 434 (Monteith-R) Voter registration

Requires that an affidavit of registration be completed in ink or any nonerasable materials, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Higher Education Committee)

SB 585* (Perata-D) Election campaigns: solicitations

Requires county election officials to record which party's ballot is requested by a decline-to-state voter in a primary election. Specifically, it (1) requires that the record be made available to any person or committee who is authorized to receive copies of the printed indexes of registration; and (2) provides that the provisions of this bill shall not go into effect until after the March 6, 2002 primary.

Chapter 10, Statutes of 2002

SB 758 (Murray-D) Elections

Requires the Secretary of State to prepay the postage for return of the ballots cast by absentee voters.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 803* (Senate Elections And Reapportionment Committee) Recall elections: City of South Gate

Requires any recall or special election bill in the City of South Gate during the 2002 or 2003 calendar years to be administered by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder.

Chapter 250, Statutes of 2002

SB 902 (Karnette-D) Precinct board members: public postsecondary education

Requires community college and California State University campuses to post notices in specified locations promoting the service of precinct board members.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 905 (Perata-D) State employees: payroll deductions: political purposes

Codifies a State Attorney General's opinion that employee organizations may collect payroll deductions for political purposes so long as those deductions are not collected for a specifically named candidate. Clarifies that local agencies may only payroll deduct for those purposes allowed by the Legislature contained in the Government Code.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 976 (Polanco-D) Voting rights

Establishes criteria in state law through which the validity of at-large election systems can be challenged in court.

Chapter 129, Statutes of 2002

SB 1220 (Romero-D) Polling place designation

Prohibits a bar, tavern, saloon, or similar business establishment, that sells, exposes for sale or serves to the public any intoxicating liquor on the premises from being designated as a polling place. Makes this prohibition inapplicable to a restaurant or other bona fide public eating place that sells, exposes for sale, or serves to the public alcoholic beverages as an activity that is incidental to the primary activity of the business.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1412 (Romero-D) Voter registration: university and college campuses

Requires the Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of each California community college district to distribute a voter registration form annually to students. Requests the Regents of the University of California to do the same.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1436 (Oller-R) Republican county central committees

Makes Republican county central committee members in Sacramento County and Santa Clara County elected by county board of supervisors districts instead of Assembly districts.

Chapter 257, Statutes of 2002

SB 1438 (Oller-R) Presidential primary: overseas voters

Enacts the accuracy in Presidential Voting Act of 2002 to revise procedures for receipt and counting of overseas absentee ballots coast by oversees military personnel and election of presidential elections under the current "winner take all" system.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1441 (Oller-R) Initiative and referendum

Prohibits public officials at both the state and local level from expending public moneys to bring legal action to enjoin, invalidate, or otherwise prevent initiative or referendum measures either from being placed on the ballot for consideration by the voter or from being implemented after they have been approved by the voters.

(Failed passage in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

SB 1604 (Johnson-R) Voter registration: cancellation

Requires a county jury commissioner to notify the county election officials of each person who is excused from jury service because he/she is not a United States citizen.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendment Committee)

SB 1859 (Costa-D) Elections: ballot pamphlets

Requires the statewide ballot pamphlet for an statewide election that includes a state bond measure to include information prepared by the Legislative Analyst's Office about the proportionate share of funds that would be allocated to each program funded under the proposed bond.

Chapter 213, Statutes of 2002

SB 1975 (Johnson-R) Statewide primary election

Requires that the statewide direct primary election be hold on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June of each numbered year. Retains the requirement that the presidential primary election be held in March in any year evenly devisable by the number four, but does not consolidate the statewide primary election with that primary.

Vetoed by the Governor

Similar legislation was SB 965 (Johnson-R), which died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee; and AB 1300 (Leonard-R), which died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendments Committee.

SB 1978 (Speier-D) Insurance Commissioner: contributions

Prohibits insurers from making campaign contributions to any candidate for the office of Insurance Commissioner, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

SB 2001 (Senate Elections And Reapportionment Committee) Omnibus election bill

An omnibus elections bill making various minor, technical, and clarifying changes to various election procedures and requirements.

Chapter 228, Statutes of 2002

AB 51 (Oropeza-D) Voter registration

Extends the time for new citizens to register to vote.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 397 (Mountjoy-R) Voter identity: substantiation

Requires county elections officials to mail a certificate of registration to all registered voters and mandates use of this certificate as proof of identity when voting.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 400 (Simitian-D) Ballot designations

Makes the term "community volunteers" a valid ballot description for a person running for an office, as specified.

Chapter 364, Statutes of 2002

AB 518 (Richman-R) Absentee ballots: military personnel

Requires elections officials to count an absentee ballot that is cast by a member of the United States military and is received up to five days prior to the date on which the election is certified, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 612 (Mountjoy-R) Absentee ballots: military personnel

Extends the time period for the receipt of absentee ballots of active military personnel stationed overseas to not later than 10 days after the election, provided the ballot is postmarked or signed and dated by the day of the election. Requires that the identification envelopes for all overseas absentee ballots contain a declaration by the voter stating the ballot was completed on or before election day.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 667 (Cox-R) Initiative petitions: costs to counties

Requires the state to reimburse counties for the costs associated with verifying certain statewide initiative petitions. Requires the state to reimburse the counties for verification at a rate of $0.50 per petition, if more than ten statewide initiative petitions are submitted in a two year period.

(Died in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

AB 943 (Kelley-R) Voter registration and files

Reorganizes provisions governing the cancellation of voter registration and the maintenance of voter files by elections officials.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 980 (Pavley-D) Payment of petition circulators

Limits payment on a per-piece or per-signature basis for individuals gathering signatures, registering voters, or distributing absentee ballot applications.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1236 (Jackson-D) Initiatives

Requires an initiative petition to reflect, in specified language, whether it is being circulated by a person paid to collect signatures or by a volunteer and requires disclosure of major contributors, as specified, on the face of a petition.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1248* (Daucher-R) Secretary of State's Web site: major donors

Requires the Secretary of State and the Director of the State Department of General Services to collaborate to develop a mechanism for direct access to information on contractors whose contracts are listed as exempt from the requirement of advertising in the California State Contracts Register, from any Web page at the Secretary of State's Internet Web site that lists the names of major donors during a particular election cycle.

(Died in Assembly Elections and Reapportionment Committee)

AB 1351 (Cardoza-D) Statewide initiative petition: signature count

Clarifies that no signature on a statewide initiative petition may not be declared invalid because a voter has changed his or her residence address from one precinct to another within the same county.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1371 (Cardoza-D) Statewide initiative petition

Provides that a signature on a section of an initiative petition may not be deemed invalid because of a technical irregularity in the declaration of the petition circulator.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1496 (Wyland-R) Voter registration: unique identifier

Requires county elections officials to provide unique identification to each voter, pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of State.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1500 (Hertzberg-D) Statewide initiatives

Requires that specified campaign finance disclosures be made on proposed initiative petitions. Requires proponents of a statewide initiative to report each contribution and expenditure of $100 or more received or spent during the preceding 12 months for the purpose of preparing the initiative measure.

(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 1513 (Shelley-D) Signature requirements

Permits the use of a person's mark where a signature is otherwise required by the Elections Code, if the person is unable to provide a signature and the mark is attested by a witness designated in a prescribed declaration of the person. Specifies that this provision of law does not supersede any provision of the Elections Code that expressly permits the use of a person's mark in lieu of a signature.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1515 (Hertzberg-D) Special elections

Requires that a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of representatives in Congress, State Senate, or the Assembly, be conducted using an instant run-off voting method.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendment Committee)

AB 1585 (Ashburn-R) Precinct board members

Requires the stipend for a precinct board member to be not less than double the amount that the governing body of the jurisdiction in which an election is held is paid to a member of the precinct board for services rendered during the November 7, 2000 general election.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1610 (Wright-D) Voting by prisoners

Requires a local detention facility to provide, upon request, an affidavit of registration or an application for an absentee ballot, or both, to a prisoner who is otherwise eligible to vote. Requires the local detention facility to allow the prisoner to mail a completed affidavit of registration or application for absentee ballot to the appropriate county elections official, to vote his or her absentee ballot and mail it to the appropriate elections official.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1651 (Maldonado-R) Absentee ballots

Requires county elections officials to develop voter education for absentee voters. Appropriates $10 million.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1667 (Ashburn-R) Voter registration: residency confirmation

Requires county elections officials to verify the residency of a voter after a primary election.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 1688 (Assembly Elections, Reapportionment And Constitutional Amendments Committee) Elections: direct primary

Permits a candidate for State Senate or Assembly to present his or her nomination papers to the county elections official five days before the filing deadline for a preliminary review of the number of valid and invalid signatures.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1713 (Assembly Elections, Reapportionment And Constitutional Amendments Committee) Election data vendors

Requires the Secretary of State to develop a list of certified election data vendors which shall have access to voter registration information.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1776* (Leslie-R) Board of supervisors: special election

Allows the board of supervisors of a general law county, with a population of 50,000 or less, to call a special election to fill a vacancy on its board, should the Governor fail to fill the vacancy by appointment within 180 days of receiving notice of the vacancy.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2082 (Longville-D) Local government elections

Allows any elector other than a proponent of a county ballot measure or municipality, respectively, to seek a writ of mandate to change a ballot title or summary that is false, misleading, or inconsistent with the statutory standard.

Chapter 237, Statutes of 2002

AB 2277 (Keeley-D) Absentee ballots: applications

Requires the Secretary of State to provide local election officials with a uniform electronic application format for absentee ballots.

Chapter 753, Statutes of 2002

AB 2368 (Robert Pacheco-R) Conduct of elections

Makes various changes to the Election Code with regard to the conduct of city elections.

Chapter 371, Statutes of 2002

AB 2525 (Jackson-D) Accessible voting systems

Requires each polling place to have at least one voting machine that is fully accessible to blind and visually impaired voters.

Chapter 950, Statutes of 2002

AB 2594 (Assembly Elections, Reapportionment And Constitutional Amendments Committee) Elections: absentee voting

Requires county election officials to notify, within a specified period of time, each voter who is to be deleted from the list of permanent absentee voters.

(Died at Assembly Desk)

AB 2597 (Assembly Elections, Reapportionment And Constitutional Amendments Committee) Municipal elections

Clarifies which report of registration will be used in a city charter proposed position process and makes charter amendment petition filing deadlines consistent with initiative petition deadlines.

Chapter 53, Statutes of 2002

AB 2598 (Assembly Elections, Reapportionment And Constitutional Amendments Committee) Elections

Makes changes to the Elections Code regarding municipal elections which (1) eliminates conflicting provisions regarding the publication of a notice listing the names of the nominees and the respective offices in a municipal election; (2) provides that the all-mail ballot election shall be held on the last Tuesday in August in each odd-numbered year; and (3) requires the city counsel to choose a mayor and mayor pro tempore at the next regularly scheduled meeting following the meeting when the declaration of the election results occurred.

Chapter 344, Statutes of 2002

AB 2665 (Cox-R) Elections: voting identification

Requires a voter to present proof of his/her identity and residency prior to receiving a ballot.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

AB 2759 (Shelley-D) Voter registration

Requires school districts to adopt procedures for the distribution of voter registration cards to high school seniors. States legislative intent which encourages schools to give students community service credit for participating in election-related events.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2760 (Simitian-D) Special elections: congressional seats

Provides procedures for expedited special elections to fill vacancies in congressional offices, caused by a natural or man-made catastrophe.

Chapter 658, Statutes of 2002

AB 2832 (Shelley-D) Voter information: privacy

Requires that the affidavit of registration to vote form contain a statement that the use of voter registration information for commercial purposes is a misdemeanor, and any suspected misuse should be reported to the office of the Secretary of State. Requires the Secretary of State to establish a fraud hotline to report misuse of the voter file. Sunsets January 1, 2005.

Chapter 959, Statutes of 2002

AB 3059* (Cardoza-D) Voter registration: notification

Requires the Secretary of State to provide notification to a newly registered voter on how the voter's party affiliation has been recorded.

Chapter 665, Statutes of 2002

ACA 1 (Nation-D) Election of judges

Provides that all judges appear on the ballot uncontested, with the question presented whether the candidate shall be elected.

(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

ACA 3 (Papan-D) Term limits

Revises the number of terms that each Senator and member of the Assembly can serve in the State Legislature -- six terms for the Assembly and three terms in the Senate.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

ACA 6 (Briggs-R) Term limits

Reduces the amount of years legislators can serve from a total of 14 to 12 years.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

ACA 14 (Hertzberg-D) Statewide initiative measures

Requires all provisions of an initiative measure be functionally related and reasonably germane to each other. Provides for a legislative review process at the option of the proponent or proponents.

(Died in Assembly Rules Committee)

ACR 190 (Shelley-D) Elections: youth participation

Expresses the support of the Legislature for specified steps that would promote civic participation.

Resolution Chapter 152, Statutes of 2002

Reapportionment

Every ten years, the Legislature is required, by the Constitution, to redraw Senate, Assembly, Congressional and State Board of Equalization districts to reflect the population count done by the census.

SB 802* (Senate Elections And Reapportionment Committee) Assembly and Board of Equalization districts

Specifies the legal descriptions of new Assembly and State Board of Equalization districts.

Chapter 349, Statutes of 2001

AB 632* (Cedillo-D) Senate and Congressional districts

Specifies the legal descriptions of new Senate and Congressional districts.

Chapter 348, Statutes of 2001

ACR 1 (Leonard-R) Redistricting: criteria

Specifies that when the Legislature undertakes its constitutional responsibility to adjust the boundaries of California's Assembly, Senate, Congressional and Board of Equalization districts, it is to do so using only criteria required or permitted by the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, or the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including, but not limited to certain objective criteria.

(Died in Assembly Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee)

HR 6 (Leonard-R) Reapportionment criteria

Adds rules to the Assembly Rules containing a process for how the Assembly should handle reapportionment.

(Died in Assembly Rules Committee)

Index (in Bill Order)