California Senate Bill SB1001 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1001AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 16, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Senator Yee (Coauthor: Senator Blakeslee) FEBRUARY 6, 2012 An act to amend Section 86102 of  , and to add Sections 84101.5 and 84613 to,  the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1001, as amended, Yee. Political Reform Act of 1974: lobbyists  and committees  :  registration fee   fees  .  (1) Existing provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974 require a committee, as defined, to file a statement of organization with the Secretary of State and, as applicable, to file semiannual campaign statements.   This bill would require the Secretary of State to charge each committee that is required to file a statement of organization, and would require each committee to pay, a fee not to exceed $50 per year until the committee is terminated, as specified. The bill would require the Fair Political Practices Commission to adjust this fee limit 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.   Existing   (2)     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  limit  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.  (3) This bill would establish the Political Disclosure, Access, and Transparency Account in the State Treasury and require that moneys collected as fees as described above and as fees for late filing of reports and statements under the act, as specified, be deposited in the account. The bill also would express the intent of the Legislature that moneys deposited in the account be expended for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of the online or electronic disclosure program implemented by the Secretary of State, as specified.   The   (4)     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 84101.5 is added to the   Government Code  , to read:   84101.5. (a) Notwithstanding Section 81006, the Secretary of State shall charge each committee that is required to file a statement of organization pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84101, and each committee that is required to file a statement of organization pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84101 shall pay, a fee of not more than fifty dollars ($50) per year until the committee is terminated pursuant to Section 84214. (b) The Commission shall adjust the fee limit 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.   Section 84613 is added to the   Government Code   , to read:   84613. (a) The Political Disclosure, Access, and Transparency Account is hereby established in the State Treasury. All moneys collected pursuant to Sections 84101.5, 86102, and 91013 shall be deposited in the Political Disclosure, Access, and Transparency Account. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that moneys deposited in the Political Disclosure, Access, and Transparency Account be expended for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of the online or electronic disclosure program implemented by the Secretary of State pursuant to this chapter.   SECTION 1.   SEC. 3.  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 fifty dollars ($50) per year for each lobbyist required to be listed on its registration statement. (b) The Commission shall adjust the registration fee  limit  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.   SEC. 4.  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.