Enrolled  August 31, 2020
Passed  IN  Senate  August 28, 2020
Passed  IN  Assembly  June 08, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2151

Introduced by Assembly Members Gallagher and Gonzalez
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Berman)

February 10, 2020

An act to add Section 84616 to the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2151, Gallagher. Political Reform Act of 1974: online filing and disclosure system.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires the filing of specified statements, reports and other documents. Under the act, a local government agency may require these filings to be made online or electronically with the local filing officer, as specified. The act requires the local filing officer to make all data so filed available on the internet in an easily understood format that provides the greatest public access.
This bill would require a local government agency to post on its internet website, within 72 hours of the applicable filing deadline, a copy of any specified statement, report, or other document filed with that agency in paper format. This bill would require that the statement, report, or other document be made available for four years from the date of the election associated with the filing. By imposing a new duty on local government agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
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 of the Legislature 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   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 84616 is added to the Government Code, to read:

84616.
 (a) Within 72 hours of each applicable filing deadline, a local government agency shall post on its internet website a copy of any statement, report, or other document required by Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100) that is filed with that agency in paper format. If the final day of the 72-hour period is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the period is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. Before posting, the local filing officer shall redact the street name and building number of the persons or entity representatives listed on any statement, report, or document, or any bank account number required to be disclosed by the filer. Providing a link on the agency’s internet website to the statement, report, or other document satisfies this subdivision.
(b) A statement, report, or other document posted pursuant to this section shall be made available for four years from the date of the election associated with the filing.

SEC. 2.

  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 3.

  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.