Bill > AB775

This bill amends California's Political Reform Act to modify reporting requirements for "behested payments," which are payments made at the request of an elected official or Public Utilities Commission member, primarily for charitable, legislative, or governmental purposes. The bill changes the reporting timeline, requiring officials to report behested payments within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter if payments from a single source exceed $5,000 annually, with subsequent payments of $1,000 or more also requiring reporting. Additionally, the bill mandates that these reports include more detailed information, such as any relationships between nonprofit payees and the official or their staff, and descriptions of any agency proceedings involving the payment source within the past 12 months. The bill allows officials to submit good faith estimates of payment amounts or dates if they have made reasonable efforts to obtain exact information, with the requirement to file an amended report within 10 days of receiving precise details. Reports must be filed electronically through the commission's filing system, which will provide immediate confirmation, and local government officials may file directly with their local filing officer if reports are publicly posted online within 10 days. By expanding reporting requirements, the bill potentially creates new reporting obligations that could be considered a misdemeanor if not followed, thus expanding the scope of existing legal requirements.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB775