AB 359 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Fair Political Practices Commission.

Summary

The Political Reform Act of 1974 permits the Fair Political Practices Commission, upon mutual agreement between the commission and the governing body of a local government agency, to assume primary responsibility for the administration, implementation, and enforcement of a local campaign finance or government ethics law passed by the local government agency. The act authorizes the commission with respect to the local campaign finance or government ethics law to, among other things, provide advice, investigate possible violations, and bring civil actions. If such an agreement is executed, the act further requires the commission to report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2025 with specified information, including legislative recommendations, regarding the performance of the agreement. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2026. The act authorizes the commission to enter into a similar agreement with the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino. This bill would additionally authorize the commission to conduct audits with respect to the local campaign finance or government ethics law. The bill would delete the requirement for the commission to report to the Legislature and remove the January 1, 2026 repeal date, thereby indefinitely extending the operation of the provisions described above. The bill would repeal the provisions pertaining to the County of San Bernardino. 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.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Jul 2025

Assembly Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Jul 2025

Signed into Law

Oct 2025

Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Signed Oct 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

07/02/25 - Amended Senate → 08/27/25 - Enrolled · 2 edits · Aug 27, 2025

MINOR

The enrolled version of AB 359 removes the specific exclusion of San Bernardino County from Section 83123.6(h), which previously barred it from using the general framework for Fair Political Practices Commission agreements with local governments. Since the separate San Bernardino-specific provision (Section 83123.5) is still repealed, this change effectively allows San Bernardino to participate in the general agreement framework like any other local government agency under the population cap. The remaining changes are formatting updates reflecting the bill's enrolled status.

Scope change

San Bernardino County is no longer excluded from the general Fair Political Practices Commission agreement framework under Section 83123.6, expanding the bill's applicability to include that county alongside other local government agencies with populations under 3,000,000.

SCOPE

Section 83123.6(h) no longer excludes the County of San Bernardino from the general provision. Previously it read 'does not apply to a jurisdiction with a population of 3,000,000 or more or to the County of San Bernardino.' Now it only excludes jurisdictions with a population of 3,000,000 or more, meaning San Bernardino can now enter into agreements under the general framework.

TECHNICAL

A cross-reference in subdivision (e)(2) was corrected from 'pursuant to subdivision (e), (f)' to 'pursuant to subdivision (f),' fixing an internal reference error regarding which subdivision governs termination of agreements.

01/30/25 - Introduced → 07/02/25 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · Jul 2, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate amendment makes three major substantive changes: it repeals the specific statutory authorization for the Fair Political Practices Commission to enforce San Bernardino County's local campaign finance ordinance (Section 83123.5), removes the January 1, 2026 sunset date that would have ended the general authority for the commission to administer local campaign finance and ethics laws, and eliminates the requirement for the commission to report to the Legislature on agreement performance. The net effect is that the commission's general authority over local campaign finance enforcement becomes permanent while San Bernardino County loses its specific statutory basis for that arrangement.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrows for San Bernardino County (its specific authorization is repealed) while simultaneously broadening in duration for all other eligible local agencies (the sunset date is removed, making the authority indefinite). The population threshold of 3 million and the San Bernardino exclusion from the general provision remain unchanged.

SCOPE

Section 83123.5 of the Government Code is now repealed, which was the specific provision authorizing the Fair Political Practices Commission to assume primary responsibility for enforcing San Bernardino County's local campaign finance reform ordinance. This ends the statutory basis for the commission's role in that county.

The grandfathering clause that deemed existing agreements between the commission and the City of Stockton or the City of Sacramento (in effect as of December 31, 2018) as compliant with the section is removed.

TIMELINE

The sunset provision that would have automatically repealed Section 83123.6 on January 1, 2026 is deleted, making the commission's general authority to administer local campaign finance and government ethics laws permanent rather than temporary.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for the commission to report to the Legislature by January 1, 2025 with information on agreement performance, cost savings, performance metrics, public comments, and legislative recommendations is eliminated.

Floor votes · Senate Jul 17, 2025 · Assembly Jun 2, 2025

How they voted

35–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 40

Jul 17, 2025

D Democratic30

26 Yea 4

86% Yea

R Republican10

9 Yea 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Oct 3, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor.

legislature

Aug 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 2722.).

lower

Jul 17, 2025

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Jul 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 2137.).

upper

Jul 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

upper

Jul 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jul 1, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1).

upper

Jun 11, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

upper

Jun 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1820.)

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 2.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors