This title shall be known and may be cited as the “Political Reform Act of 1974.”
Chapter 1 - General
California Government Code — §§ 81000-81015
Sections (21)
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 2. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
The people find and declare as follows:
who thereby gain disproportionate influence over governmental decisions;
influence of large campaign contributors in ballot measure elections is increased because the state voter information guide mailed to the voters by the state is difficult to read and almost impossible for a layperson to understand; and
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 3. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
The people enact this title to accomplish the following purposes:
disqualified from acting in order that conflicts of interest may be avoided.
This title should be liberally construed to accomplish its purposes.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 50, Sec. 128) by Stats. 2022, Ch. 328, Sec. 1. (AB 2172) Effective January 1, 2023. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
a certified public accountant acting as agent for the entity. Every
person who signs and verifies any report or statement required to be filed under this title which contains material matter which that person knows to be false is guilty of perjury.
by email that meets the requirements in this subdivision is the original report or statement for audit and other legal purposes.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 1) by Stats. 2021, Ch. 50, Sec. 129. (AB 378) Effective January 1, 2022. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 44. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
public accountant acting as agent for the entity. Every person who signs and verifies any report or statement required to be filed under this title which contains material matter which that person knows to be false is guilty of perjury.
Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1161.
Any report or statement filed pursuant to this title may be amended by the filer at any time. Amending an incorrect or incomplete report or statement may be considered as evidence of good faith.
Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 312, Sec. 1. (AB 902) Effective January 1, 2020.
holiday immediately before an election.
Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1183, Sec. 1. Effective September 29, 1985. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
Except as provided in this title, no fee or charge shall be collected by any officer for the filing of any report or statement or for the forms upon which reports or statements are to be prepared.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 638, Sec. 1) by Stats. 2021, Ch. 50, Sec. 130. (AB 378) Effective January 1, 2022. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
When a report or statement or copies thereof required to be filed with any officer under this title have been sent by first-class mail or by any other guaranteed overnight delivery service addressed to the officer, it shall for purposes of any deadline be deemed to have been received by the officer on the date of the deposit in the mail or of receipt by that delivery service. It shall be presumed until the contrary is established that any date stamped by the post office on the envelope or contained on the delivery service receipt containing the report or statement is the date it was deposited in the mail or received by the delivery service. Mail which is not received by the filing officer shall be presumed not to have been sent unless the filer possesses a post office or delivery service receipt establishing
the date of deposit and the name and address of the addressee.
Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 2. (SB 1239) Effective January 1, 2019. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 44. Conditionally superseded; see amendment by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
When a report or statement or copies thereof required to be filed in paper format with any officer under this title has been sent by first-class mail or by any other guaranteed overnight delivery service addressed to the officer, it shall for purposes of any deadline be deemed to have been received by the officer on the date of the deposit in the mail or of receipt by that delivery service. It shall be presumed until the contrary is established that any date stamped by the post office on the envelope or contained on the delivery service receipt containing the report or statement is the date it was deposited in the mail or received by the delivery service. Mail that is not received by the filing officer shall be presumed not to have been sent unless the filer possesses a post office or delivery service receipt
establishing the date of deposit and the name and address of the addressee.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 1. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
When a report or statement or copies thereof required to be filed in paper format with any filing officer under this title has been sent by first-class mail or by any other guaranteed overnight delivery service addressed to the filing officer, it shall for purposes of any deadline be deemed to have been received by the filing officer on the date of the deposit in the mail or of receipt by that delivery service. It shall be presumed until the contrary is established that any date stamped by the post office on the envelope or contained on the delivery service receipt containing the report or statement is the date it was deposited in the mail or received by the delivery service. Mail that is not received by the filing officer shall be presumed not to have been sent unless the
filer possesses a post office or delivery service receipt establishing the date of deposit and the name and address of the addressee.
Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 394, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662.
statement faxed is no more than 30 pages.
Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 3. (SB 1239) Effective January 1, 2019. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 44. Conditionally superseded; see amendment by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278.
pages.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 3) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 2. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 654, Sec. 1. (AB 1418) Effective January 1, 2014. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
Every report and statement filed pursuant to this title is a public record open for public inspection and reproduction during regular business hours, commencing as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than the second business day following the day on which it was received. No conditions whatsoever shall be imposed upon persons desiring to inspect or reproduce reports and statements filed under this title, nor shall
any information or identification be required from these persons. Copies shall be provided at a charge not to exceed ten cents ($0.10) per page. In addition, the filing officer may charge a retrieval fee not to exceed five dollars ($5) per request for copies of reports and statements which are five or more years old. A request for more than one report or statement or report and statement at the same time shall be considered a single request.
Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 4. (SB 1239) Effective January 1, 2019. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 44. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
A report or statement filed pursuant to this title is a public record open for public inspection and reproduction during the filing officer’s regular business hours, commencing as soon as practicable, and no later than the second business day after the day it was received. A filing officer shall make electronically filed data publicly available on the Internet as soon as possible after it is received in compliance with Sections 84602 and 84615. Conditions shall not be imposed upon persons asking to inspect or reproduce reports and statements filed under this title, and information or identification shall not be required from these persons. Copies shall be provided at a charge not to exceed ten cents ($0.10) per page. In addition, the filing officer may charge a retrieval fee not to exceed five dollars ($5) per request for copies of reports and
statements which are five or more years old. A request for more than one report or statement or report and statement at the same time shall be considered a single request.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1183, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2024, Ch. 211, Sec. 1. (AB 1170) Effective January 1, 2025. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, as further amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 211, Sec. 2. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
candidates not elected to these offices shall be retained by filing officers for a period of not less than five years.
years, provided, however, that a filing officer is not required to retain more than one copy of a report or statement.
inspection:
(A) The original report or statement or copy filed in a paper format.
(B) A copy on microfilm or other space-saving materials.
(C) An electronic copy.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 5) by Stats. 2024, Ch. 211, Sec. 2. (AB 1170) Effective January 1, 2025. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662 Sec. 44, and by Stats. 2024, Ch. 211, Sec. 8. Conditionally superseded; see amendment by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
offices shall be retained by filing officers for a period of at least five years.
copy of a report or statement.
(A) The original report or statement or copy filed in a paper format.
(B) An electronic copy.
84602 and 84615.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 211, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 3. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
period of at least five years.
inspection:
(A) The original report or statement or copy filed in a paper format.
(B) An electronic copy.
Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 674, Sec. 1.
unless the additional or different filing requirements apply only to the candidates seeking election in that jurisdiction, their controlled committees or committees formed or existing primarily to support or oppose their candidacies, and to committees formed or existing primarily to support or oppose a candidate or to support or oppose the qualification of, or passage of, a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in that jurisdiction, and to city or county general purpose committees active only in that city or county, respectively.
Amended (as added June 4, 1974, by Prop. 9) by Stats. 2021, Ch. 50, Sec. 131. (AB 378) Effective January 1, 2022. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662.
With respect to reports and statements filed with a filing officer pursuant to this title, the filing officer shall:
and
Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 6. (SB 1239) Effective January 1, 2019. Conditionally operative on date prescribed by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 44. Conditionally superseded; see amendment by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
For reports and statements filed with a filing officer pursuant to this title, the filing officer shall do all of the following:
agencies.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 6) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 4. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
For reports and statements filed with a filing officer pursuant to this title, the filing officer shall do all of the following:
of this title to the appropriate agencies.
Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 312, Sec. 2. (AB 902) Effective January 1, 2020.
A filing officer or filing official’s failure to comply with a duty or to provide notice of a filing or disclosure obligation does not affect a person’s duty to file statements and reports disclosing information as required by this title or any enforceable conflict of interest code.
Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 221, Sec. 44. Effective January 1, 2003.
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the election precinct of a person signing a statewide petition shall not be required to appear on the petition when it is filed with the county elections official, nor any additional information regarding a signer other than the information required to be written by the signer.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 331, Sec. 2. (SB 852) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
This title may be amended or repealed by the procedures set forth in this section. If any portion of subdivision (a) is declared invalid, then subdivision (b) shall be the exclusive means of amending or repealing this title.
Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 499, Sec. 3. (SB 681) Effective January 1, 2024.
amended to include provisions that would amend this title.
9 a.m. the calendar day after the legislative action that is subject to the alert.
Nothing in this title prevents the Legislature or any other state or local agency from imposing additional requirements on any person if the requirements do not prevent the person from complying with this title. If any act of the Legislature conflicts with the provisions of this title, this title shall prevail.
Whenever any reference is made in this title to a federal or state statute and that statute has been or is subsequently repealed or amended, the Commission may promulgate regulations to carry out the intent of this title as nearly as possible.
If any provision of this title, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstances, shall be held invalid, the remainder of this title to the extent it can be given effect, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby, and to this end the provisions of this title are severable.