Third Quarter Update
Lobbying
Regulations adopted by the Commission
The following are regulatory changes approved by the Commission during the past quarter concerning lobbying. To receive updates for all regulations before the Commission, please sign up for our mailing list here.
None.
Advice Letters
The following are advice letters issued by the Commission’s Legal Division during the past quarter concerning lobbying. To receive the monthly report with all advice letters issued, please sign up for our mailing list here.
None.
Commission Opinions
None.
Enforcement Matters
The following are summaries of significant enforcement actions approved by the Commission in the past quarter involving violations of the Act’s lobbying laws. To receive a monthly report of all enforcement actions, please sign up for our mailing list here.
None.
Legislation
AB 1783 (Levine) – Lobbying: administrative actions.
Status: Approved by the Governor and chaptered on 9/22/22.
Summary:
AB 1783 expands the definition of “administrative action” to additionally include any decision or approval pursuant to Section 1215.2 of the Insurance Code or Section 1399.65 of the Health and Safety Code, which govern the review and approval of the following:
- Proposed mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions of health care service plans that are subject to the approval of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care, as specified.
- Purchases, exchanges, mergers, and acquisitions of domestic insurers that are subject to the approval of the Insurance Commissioner, as specified.
FPPC Cost: Minor and absorbable
FPPC Position: Support
SB 459 (Allen) – Lobbying transparency.
Coauthors: Senators Cortese, Glazer, and Newman; Assembly Member Mullin
Status: Approved by the Governor and chaptered on 9/30/22.
Summary: SB 459 requires lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers to include information in their quarterly periodic reports that identifies each bill or administrative action subject to lobbying activity, the respective position advocated for, and each bill or administrative action for which issue lobbying advertisements, as defined, were issued.
The bill requires a lobbyist employer to file a new 24-hour report if it retains a lobbying firm to influence legislative action during the 60-day period before the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn in a calendar year, and would require, during that same period, a supplemental 24-hour report to be filed within 24 hours of engaging in direct communication with specified officials for the purpose of influencing legislative action.
The bill imposes new requirements relating to issue lobbying advertisement and requires a lobbyist employer to file specified reports within 72-hours of incurring costs $5,000 or more for issue lobbying advertisements within a calendar quarter.
The bill becomes operative one year after SOS certifies the new online filing and disclosure system.
FPPC Cost: 425,168 (first year); $404,168 (ongoing annually), plus additional potential litigation costs ($120,00-$200,000)
- 2 Political Reform Consultants and 1 Commission Counsel
FPPC Position: Support
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