California Senate Bill SB1001 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1001INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Yee (Coauthor: Senator Blakeslee) FEBRUARY 6, 2012 An act to amend Section 86102 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1001, as introduced, Yee. Political Reform Act of 1974: lobbyists: registration fee. Existing provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974 regulate the activities of lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers, as defined, in connection with attempts to influence legislative and administrative action by legislative and other state officials. The act requires that lobbying firms and lobbyist employers register with the Secretary of State, and authorizes the Secretary of State to charge each lobbying firm and lobbyist employer a fee of up to $25 per year for each lobbyist required to be listed on its registration statement. This bill would increase the maximum amount of this fee to $50 per year. The bill also would require the Fair Political Practices Commission to adjust this fee on December 1 of each even-numbered year to reflect any increase in the Consumer Price Index and to round the adjustment to the nearest $5. 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 2/3 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 86102 of the Government Code is amended to read: 86102.  (a)    Each lobbying firm and lobbyist employer required to file a registration statement under this chapter may be charged not more than  twenty-five  fifty  dollars  ($25)   ($50)  per year for each lobbyist required to be listed on its registration statement.  (b) The Commission shall adjust the registration fee in subdivision (a) on December 1 of each even-numbered year to reflect any increase in the Consumer Price Index. The Commission shall round each adjustment pursuant to this subdivision to the nearest five dollars ($5).  SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code.