TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Kim Alexander, California Voter Foundation
DATE: February 23, 1996
RE: Electronic Filing Legislation IntroducedI'm very happy to announce that California State Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) introduced legislation yesterday to mandate electronic filing of political disclosure records in California.
Speier's bill, AB 2546, would implement the recommendations of the California Secretary of State's Electronic Filing Advisory Panel. You may recall that this was the panel I served on last year, along with 16 other people involved with political disclosure. The panel's report was adopted by California Secretary of State Bill Jones, who is the sponsor of Speier's legislation.
I think the prospects for this bill are excellent, particularly given the fact that the bill is sponsored by the Republican Secretary of State, and authored by a Democratic legislator who has an amazing track record of getting bills passed and signed by Republican governors. Nevertheless, the battle has just begun, and I will be sure to keep you informed of developments.
Below is the press release issued by Jackie Speier's office yesterday.
Kim Alexander, Executive Director, California Voter Foundation
cvf@netcom.com
916/325-2120
http://www.webcom.com/cvf/
Wednesday, February 21, 1996
Contact: Elise Thurau - 916/445-8020
SPEIER INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE COMPUTER NETWORK ACCESS TO ALL CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND LOBBYING EXPENDITURE INFORMATION
Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame), today introduced legislation, sponsored by Secretary of State Bill Jones, to ensure computer access to all campaign finance and lobbying expenditure information.
AB 2546 would require all state level candidates and lobbying entities to electronically file all campaign information to the Secretary of State by the year 2000. The bill further stipulates that the filings must be made immediately available on the Internet after transmittal to the Secretary of State's office.
Speier stated, "The public wants ethical accountability in their elected officials. Computerized access to all financial information regarding lawmakers and lobbying entities is the only realistic way for government watchdogs and members of the public to review current disclosures."
AB 2546 would establish a phased-in electronic filing program for all state-level candidates, campaign committees and lobbying entities. Some specific provisions include:
- Requiring mandatory electronic filing for all the state's constitutional officers and ballot measure committees raising $100,000 or more in contributions beginning in the 1997-98 election cycle.
- Requiring mandatory electronic filing for all state-level candidates, such as Assembly and Senate candidates and committees raising or spending $30,000 or more by January 1, 1999 and extending through the year 2000 elections and thereafter.
- Allowing voluntary electronic filing for all lobbyists during the 1997-98 legislative session, becoming mandatory in the 1999-2000 session.
- Requiring the Secretary of State to provide a basic software filing package for all filers.
- Requiring the data to be available to the public via the Internet.
- Requiring the Secretary of State to establish a "Help Desk" to assist filers using the data entry software package.
- Requiring the Secretary of State to keep the data online for 10 years and permanently archived following this time period.
- Allowing local governments the option of establishing their own electronic filing program, upon condition of following the basic state format
.- Inclusion of $550,000 for initial start-up costs.
In 1994, Speier authored legislation requiring the Secretary of State to study the options for placing all lobbyist and campaign disclosures reported with the Secretary of State's office on a computerized system available to the public. The report's findings and recommendations are now embodied in AB 2546.
Kim Alexander, Executive Director, California Voter Foundation
cvf@netcom.com
916/325-2120
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