Public Official Reporting Requirements Modification

Under the "Fair Campaign Practices Act" ("FCPA"), the candidate committees of candidates for statewide offices must submit a post-election report disclosing contributions and expenditures 30 days after the major election in election years. The committees of candidates for county, special district, and municipal offices must submit a post-election report 30 days after the primary election, where applicable, and 30 days after the major election in election years. Under the public official disclosure law ("PODL"), elected candidates and incumbents are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement and an annual update to the personal financial disclosure statement. Under the FCPA, candidates are required to file a disclosure statement. The act changes the post-election report filing deadline from 30 days to 35 days and exempts a political party committee from the requirement of filing a report of a major contribution during an off-election year. The act exempts candidates seeking reelection who have filed their annual update to the personal financial disclosure statement under the PODL from the requirement of filing a disclosure statement under the FCPA. The act further clarifies that an incumbent seeking reelection who files an annual update to the personal financial disclosure statement under the PODL is exempt from the requirement of filing a disclosure statement under the FCPA. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)