BILL NUMBER: SB 330INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Mendoza FEBRUARY 23, 2015 An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 1091.5 of, and to add Section 1091.7 to, the Government Code, relating to public officers. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 330, as introduced, Mendoza. Public officers: contracts: financial interest. (1) Existing law prohibits Members of the Legislature, and state, county, district, judicial district, and city officers or employees from being financially interested in a contract, as specified, made by them in their official capacity or by any body or board of which they are members, subject to specified exceptions. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2017, and notwithstanding any other law, expand these prohibitions to deem that a public officer who is an elected member of any state or local body, board, or commission has a prohibited financial interest in a contract pursuant to these provisions, if that public officer's spouse, child, parent, sibling, or the spouse of the child, parent, or sibling has a financial interest in any contract made by that public officer in his or her official capacity, or by any body, board, or commission of which that public officer is a member. (2) Existing law imposes a criminal penalty for every officer or person who willfully violates the prohibitions against making or being financially interested in contracts, as specified. By expanding these prohibitions, this bill would create a new crime, and thus, would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1091.5 of the Government Code is amended to read: 1091.5. (a) An officer or employee shall not be deemed to be interested in a contract if his or her interest is any of the following: (1) The ownership of less than 3 percent of the shares of a corporation for profit, provided that the total annual income to him or her from dividends, including the value of stock dividends, from the corporation does not exceed 5 percent of his or her total annual income, and any other payments made to him or her by the corporation do not exceed 5 percent of his or her total annual income. (2) That of an officer in being reimbursed for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. (3) That of a recipient of public services generally provided by the public body or board of which he or she is a member, on the same terms and conditions as if he or she were not a member of the body or board. (4) That of a landlord or tenant of the contracting party if the contracting party is the federal government or any federal department or agency, this state or an adjoining state, any department or agency of this state or an adjoining state, any county or city of this state or an adjoining state, or any public corporation or special, judicial, or other public district of this state or an adjoining state unless the subject matter of the contract is the property in which the officer or employee has the interest as landlord or tenant in which event his or her interest shall be deemed a remote interest within the meaning of, and subject to, the provisions of Section 1091. (5) That of a tenant in a public housing authority created pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 34200) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code in which he or she serves as a member of the board of commissioners of the authority or of a community development commission created pursuant to Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 34100) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code. (6) That of a spouse of an officer or employee of a public agency in his or her spouse's employment or officeholding if his or her spouse's employment or officeholding has existed for at least one year prior to his or her election or appointment. (7) That of a nonsalaried member of a nonprofit corporation, provided that this interest is disclosed to the body or board at the time of the first consideration of the contract, and provided further that this interest is noted in its official records. (8) That of a noncompensated officer of a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, which, as one of its primary purposes, supports the functions of the body or board or to which the body or board has a legal obligation to give particular consideration, and provided further that this interest is noted in its official records. For purposes of this paragraph, an officer is "noncompensated" even though he or she receives reimbursement from the nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation for necessary travel and other actual expenses incurred in performing the duties of his or her office. (9) That of a person receiving salary, per diem, or reimbursement for expenses from a government entity, unless the contract directly involves the department of the government entity that employs the officer or employee, provided that the interest is disclosed to the body or board at the time of consideration of the contract, and provided further that the interest is noted in its official record. (10) That of an attorney of the contracting party or that of an owner, officer, employee, or agent of a firm which renders, or has rendered, service to the contracting party in the capacity of stockbroker, insurance agent, insurance broker, real estate agent, or real estate broker, if these individuals have not received and will not receive remuneration, consideration, or a commission as a result of the contract and if these individuals have an ownership interest of less than 10 percent in the law practice or firm, stock brokerage firm, insurance firm, or real estate firm. (11) Except as provided in subdivision (b), that of an officer or employee of, or a person having less than a 10-percent ownership interest in, a bank, bank holding company, or savings and loan association with which a party to the contract has a relationship of borrower, depositor, debtor, or creditor. (12) That of (A) a bona fide nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation having among its primary purposes the conservation, preservation, or restoration of park and natural lands or historical resources for public benefit, which corporation enters into an agreement with a public agency to provide services related to park and natural lands or historical resources and which services are found by the public agency, prior to entering into the agreement or as part of the agreement, to be necessary to the public interest to plan for, acquire, protect, conserve, improve, or restore park and natural lands or historical resources for public purposes and (B) any officer, director, or employee acting pursuant to the agreement on behalf of the nonprofit corporation. For purposes of this paragraph, "agreement" includes contracts and grants, and "park," "natural lands," and "historical resources" shall have the meanings set forth in subdivisions (d), (g), and (i) of Section 5902 of the Public Resources Code. Services to be provided to the public agency may include those studies and related services, acquisitions of property and property interests, and any activities related to those studies and acquisitions necessary for the conservation, preservation, improvement, or restoration of park and natural lands or historical resources. (13) That of an officer, employee, or member of the Board of Directors of the California Housing Finance Agency with respect to a loan product or programs if the officer, employee, or member participated in the planning, discussions, development, or approval of the loan product or program and both of the following two conditions exist: (A) The loan product or program is or may be originated by any lender approved by the agency. (B) The loan product or program is generally available to qualifying borrowers on terms and conditions that are substantially the same for all qualifying borrowers at the time the loan is made. (14) That of a party to a contract for public services entered into by a special district that requires a person to be a landowner or a representative of a landowner to serve on the board of which the officer or employee is a member, on the same terms and conditions as if he or she were not a member of the body or board. For purposes of this paragraph, "public services" includes the powers and purposes generally provided pursuant to provisions of the Water Code relating to irrigation districts, California water districts, water storage districts, or reclamation districts. (b) An officer or employee shall not be deemed to be interested in a contract made pursuant to competitive bidding under a procedure established by law if his or her sole interest is that of an officer, director, or employee of a bank or savings and loan association with which a party to the contract has the relationship of borrower or depositor, debtor or creditor. (c) This section shall be repealed on January 1, 2017. SEC. 2. Section 1091.5 is added to the Government Code, to read: 1091.5. (a) An officer or employee shall not be deemed to be interested in a contract if his or her interest is any of the following: (1) The ownership of less than 3 percent of the shares of a corporation for profit, provided that the total annual income to him or her from dividends, including the value of stock dividends, from the corporation does not exceed 5 percent of his or her total annual income, and any other payments made to him or her by the corporation do not exceed 5 percent of his or her total annual income. (2) That of an officer in being reimbursed for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. (3) That of a recipient of public services generally provided by the public body or board of which he or she is a member, on the same terms and conditions as if he or she were not a member of the body or board. (4) That of a landlord or tenant of the contracting party if the contracting party is the federal government or any federal department or agency, this state or an adjoining state, any department or agency of this state or an adjoining state, any county or city of this state or an adjoining state, or any public corporation or special, judicial, or other public district of this state or an adjoining state unless the subject matter of the contract is the property in which the officer or employee has the interest as landlord or tenant in which event his or her interest shall be deemed a remote interest within the meaning of, and subject to, the provisions of Section 1091. (5) That of a tenant in a public housing authority created pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 34200) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code in which he or she serves as a member of the board of commissioners of the authority or of a community development commission created pursuant to Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 34100) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code. (6) Except as provided in Section 1091.7, that of a spouse of an officer or employee of a public agency in his or her spouse's employment or officeholding if his or her spouse's employment or officeholding has existed for at least one year prior to his or her election or appointment. (7) That of a nonsalaried member of a nonprofit corporation, provided that this interest is disclosed to the body or board at the time of the first consideration of the contract, and provided further that this interest is noted in its official records. (8) That of a noncompensated officer of a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, which, as one of its primary purposes, supports the functions of the body or board or to which the body or board has a legal obligation to give particular consideration, and provided further that this interest is noted in its official records. For purposes of this paragraph, an officer is "noncompensated" even though he or she receives reimbursement from the nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation for necessary travel and other actual expenses incurred in performing the duties of his or her office. (9) That of a person receiving salary, per diem, or reimbursement for expenses from a government entity, unless the contract directly involves the department of the government entity that employs the officer or employee, provided that the interest is disclosed to the body or board at the time of consideration of the contract, and provided further that the interest is noted in its official record. (10) That of an attorney of the contracting party or that of an owner, officer, employee, or agent of a firm which renders, or has rendered, service to the contracting party in the capacity of stockbroker, insurance agent, insurance broker, real estate agent, or real estate broker, if these individuals have not received and will not receive remuneration, consideration, or a commission as a result of the contract and if these individuals have an ownership interest of less than 10 percent in the law practice or firm, stock brokerage firm, insurance firm, or real estate firm. (11) Except as provided in subdivision (b), that of an officer or employee of, or a person having less than a 10-percent ownership interest in, a bank, bank holding company, or savings and loan association with which a party to the contract has a relationship of borrower, depositor, debtor, or creditor. (12) That of (A) a bona fide nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation having among its primary purposes the conservation, preservation, or restoration of park and natural lands or historical resources for public benefit, which corporation enters into an agreement with a public agency to provide services related to park and natural lands or historical resources and which services are found by the public agency, prior to entering into the agreement or as part of the agreement, to be necessary to the public interest to plan for, acquire, protect, conserve, improve, or restore park and natural lands or historical resources for public purposes and (B) any officer, director, or employee acting pursuant to the agreement on behalf of the nonprofit corporation. For purposes of this paragraph, "agreement" includes contracts and grants, and "park," "natural lands," and "historical resources" shall have the meanings set forth in subdivisions (d), (g), and (i) of Section 5902 of the Public Resources Code. Services to be provided to the public agency may include those studies and related services, acquisitions of property and property interests, and any activities related to those studies and acquisitions necessary for the conservation, preservation, improvement, or restoration of park and natural lands or historical resources. (13) That of an officer, employee, or member of the Board of Directors of the California Housing Finance Agency with respect to a loan product or programs if the officer, employee, or member participated in the planning, discussions, development, or approval of the loan product or program and both of the following two conditions exist: (A) The loan product or program is or may be originated by any lender approved by the agency. (B) The loan product or program is generally available to qualifying borrowers on terms and conditions that are substantially the same for all qualifying borrowers at the time the loan is made. (14) That of a party to a contract for public services entered into by a special district that requires a person to be a landowner or a representative of a landowner to serve on the board of which the officer or employee is a member, on the same terms and conditions as if he or she were not a member of the body or board. For purposes of this paragraph, "public services" includes the powers and purposes generally provided pursuant to provisions of the Water Code relating to irrigation districts, California water districts, water storage districts, or reclamation districts. (b) An officer or employee shall not be deemed to be interested in a contract made pursuant to competitive bidding under a procedure established by law if his or her sole interest is that of an officer, director, or employee of a bank or savings and loan association with which a party to the contract has the relationship of borrower or depositor, debtor or creditor. (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017. SEC. 3. Section 1091.7 is added to the Government Code, to read: 1091.7. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a public officer who is an elected member of any state or local body, board, or commission shall be deemed to have a financial interest in a contract pursuant to this article, if that public officer's spouse, child, parent, sibling, or the spouse of the child, parent, or sibling has a financial interest in any contract made by that public officer in his or her official capacity, or by any body, board, or commission of which that public officer is a member. (b) (1) The determination of a financial interest with respect to any person described in this section shall be made according to the same standards as those set forth in this article with respect to the public officer, as applicable. (2) For purposes of determining a financial interest pursuant to this section, an individual lobbying on behalf of a contracting party shall be construed to be an agent of that contracting party. (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017. SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.