Political Reform Act of 1974: contributions.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing and related matters, including campaign contributions. The act defines "contribution" as a payment, a forgiveness of a loan, a payment of a loan by a third party, or an enforceable promise to make a payment except to the extent that full and adequate consideration is received, unless it is clear from the surrounding circumstances that it is not made for political purposes. The act further describes types of payments that are expressly included or excluded from the definition, including specified payments made at the behest of a committee, elected officer, or member of the Public Utilities Commission. The act requires that certain behested payments that are made principally for legislative, governmental, or charitable purposes be reported, as specified. This bill would recast the provisions that define the term "contribution" for purposes of the act, including provisions describing behested payments that are not contributions and the reporting requirements for behested payments, as defined. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive conforming changes. 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 23 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.