California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 D cosponsors

AB 201 — Political Reform Act of 1974: campaign disclosure: text messages.

Last action — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 555, Statutes of 2019.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2019. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 78% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 7 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing and activities. The act defines "mass mailing" to mean over two hundred substantially similar pieces of mail, and defines "mass electronic mailing" to mean sending more than 200 substantially similar pieces of electronic mail within a calendar month. The act prohibits a candidate or committee from sending a mass mailing or mass electronic mailing unless certain information regarding the source of the mailing is shown in or on the mailing, as specified. The act also regulates political advertisements. The act requires certain advertisements paid for by a committee to include the words "Ad paid for by" in the advertisement. The act requires electronic media advertisements, other than email messages or internet websites, paid for by a committee, other than a political party committee or a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, to comply with certain disclosure requirements. The act requires certain committees to include a hyperlink to an internet website disclosing, among other things, the committee's "top contributors," as defined, in an electronic media advertisement. This bill would authorize a committee to instead include the words "Paid for by" or "With" in an advertisement that is a text message. The bill would require a committee other than a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate to include in certain text message advertisements that are not individually sent without the assistance of mass distribution technology the text "Paid for by" or "With" followed by either the name of the committee or a hyperlink or URL for an internet website containing certain disclosures, as specified. The bill would require a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate to disclose the name of the candidate and the office sought in those same types of text messages. The bill would require a committee with top contributors, other than a political party committee or a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, to include the text "Top funders:" followed by the name of the single top contributor of $50,000 or more, or the names of the top two contributors of $50,000 or more, to the committee paying for the advertisement, as specified. The bill would prescribe certain requirements for the color and size of the text in the text message and the disclosures on the internet website. Because a violation of the requirements of the bill would be a crime under an existing provision of the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a crime. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 84502 of the Government Code proposed by AB 864 to be operative only if this bill and AB 864 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. 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 Text

Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 555, Statutes of 2019.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

  4. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 3567.).

  5. From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (September 13).

  6. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 3461.)

  7. Re-referred to Com. on E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.

  8. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  9. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 34. Noes 1. Page 2836.).

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  12. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  13. From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  14. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

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

  17. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (July 2).

  18. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  19. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

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

  21. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  22. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1828.)

  23. Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

  24. From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (May 15).

  25. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1609.)

  26. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  27. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on APPR. Read second time and amended.

  28. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  29. Read second time and amended.

  30. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 10).

  31. Re-referred to Com. on E. & R.

  32. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E. & R. Read second time and amended.

  33. Referred to Com. on E. & R.

  34. From printer. May be heard in committee February 14.

  35. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 118 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (118)

118 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 118 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

AB 201 Cervantes Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 72 Yea · 1 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 47104
Democratic 22000
Republican 3002
Total 72106
% of votes cast 91%1%0%8%
How each member voted (79)
Member Party Vote
Fong — Yea
Brough — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Salas — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Cooley — Yea
Smith — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Diep — Yea
Chau — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Obernolte — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Holden — Yea
Daly — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Ting — Yea
Kamlager-Dove — Yea
Levine — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Low — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Burke — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Wood — Yea
Medina — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Chu — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Weber — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Gray — Nay
Kiley — Not Voting
Bigelow — Not Voting
Melendez — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Not Voting
Luz Rivas — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Not Voting
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading AB201 Cervantes et al. By Allen

Passed 34 Yea · 1 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 23004
Democratic 9100
Republican 2001
Total 34105
% of votes cast 85%3%0%13%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Rubio — Yea
Monning — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Beall — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Roth — Yea
Hill — Yea
Morrell — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Moorlach — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Chang — Yea
Hertzberg — Not Voting
Mitchell — Not Voting
Hueso — Not Voting
Pan — Not Voting
Mark Stone — Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Nay
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Not Voting
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 201 Cervantes Consent Calendar Second Day

Passed 77 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 45003
Republican 7000
Democratic 25000
Total 77003
% of votes cast 96%0%0%4%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Mathis — Yea
Diep — Yea
Chau — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Low — Yea
Burke — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Smith — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Gray — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Kamlager-Dove — Yea
Medina — Yea
Chu — Yea
Ting — Yea
McCarty — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Salas — Yea
Brough — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Obernolte — Yea
Holden — Yea
Daly — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Weber — Yea
Kiley — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Levine — Yea
Wood — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Mullin — Not Voting
Cooley — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Mark Stone — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass. To Consent Calendar.

Passed 16 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Unaffiliated 9002
Total 16002
% of votes cast 89%0%0%11%
How each member voted (18)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Obernolte — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Diep — Yea
Chau — Yea
Brough — Not Voting
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 201 do?
The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing and activities. The act defines "mass mailing" to mean over two hundred substantially similar pieces of mail, and defines "mass electronic mailing" to mean sending more than 200 substantially similar pieces of electronic mail within a calendar month. The act prohibits a candidate or committee from sending a mass mailing or mass electronic mailing unless certain information regarding the source of the mailing is shown in or on the mailing, as specified. The act also regulates political advertisements. The act requires certain advertisements paid for by a committee to include the words "Ad paid for by" in the advertisement. The act requires electronic media advertisements, other than email messages or internet websites, paid for by a committee, other than a political party committee or a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, to comply with certain disclosure requirements. The act requires certain committees to include a hyperlink to an internet website disclosing, among other things, the committee's "top contributors," as defined, in an electronic media advertisement. This bill would authorize a committee to instead include the words "Paid for by" or "With" in an advertisement that is a text message. The bill would require a committee other than a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate to include in certain text message advertisements that are not individually sent without the assistance of mass distribution technology the text "Paid for by" or "With" followed by either the name of the committee or a hyperlink or URL for an internet website containing certain disclosures, as specified. The bill would require a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate to disclose the name of the candidate and the office sought in those same types of text messages. The bill would require a committee with top contributors, other than a political party committee or a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, to include the text "Top funders:" followed by the name of the single top contributor of $50,000 or more, or the names of the top two contributors of $50,000 or more, to the committee paying for the advertisement, as specified. The bill would prescribe certain requirements for the color and size of the text in the text message and the disclosures on the internet website. Because a violation of the requirements of the bill would be a crime under an existing provision of the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a crime. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 84502 of the Government Code proposed by AB 864 to be operative only if this bill and AB 864 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. 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.
Who sponsors AB 201?
AB 201 is sponsored by Cervantes, Sabrina (Democratic), Mullin, Hill, and Travis Allen.
What is the current status of AB 201?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2019. Enacted.
Where can I track AB 201?
Track AB 201 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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