Campaign contributions: agency officers.

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about prohibitions on using official position to influence decisions based on receiving contributions, which are not explicitly stated or supported by the provided official source material.

Campaign Contributions: Agency Officers

AB-351 increases the limit on campaign contributions that agency officers can accept from $500 to $1500 and requires these limits to be adjusted based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

What This Bill Does

• Increases the amount of money an officer at a government agency cannot accept as a contribution during certain times from $500 to $1500.
• Requires the commission to adjust this limit every year starting January 2027 based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Who It Names or Affects

• Agency officers who make decisions about licenses, permits, or other entitlements.
• People and businesses that apply for these government approvals.

Terms To Know

Consumer Price Index

A measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the adjustment to contribution limits will be calculated based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Official Summary Text

AB 351, as introduced, McKinnor.
Campaign contributions: agency officers.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 prohibits an officer of an agency from accepting, soliciting, or directing a contribution of more than $500 from any party, participant, or a party or participant’s agent, while a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use is pending before the agency and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered in the proceeding, if the officer knows or has reason to know that the participant has a financial interest, as defined. The act also prohibits an officer of an agency from making, participating in making, or in any way attempting to use the officer’s official position to influence the decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use pending before the agency if the officer has willfully or knowingly received a contribution of more than $500 within the preceding 12 months from a party
or a party’s agent, or from any participant or a participant’s agent, if the officer knows or has reason to know that the participant has a financial interest in the decision, as defined.
This bill would increase the contribution thresholds described above from $500 to $1500. The bill would require the commission to adjust these contribution thresholds to reflect any increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index beginning January, 2027, and in January of each odd-numbered year thereafter, as specified.
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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF