AB 264

This bill prohibits any incumbent partisan elective state official, including the

governor and lieutenant governor, or his or her personal campaign or authorized

support committee, from accepting any political contribution during the period from

January 1 of an odd-numbered year through the date of enactment of the biennial

budget act for the purpose of promoting his or her nomination or reelection to the

office held by the official. The bill also prohibits an incumbent governor or lieutenant

governor, or an individual who has been elected to either of those offices but who has

not taken office, or his or her personal campaign or authorized support committee,

from accepting any political contribution during the period from the day after the

date of the general election through the succeeding first Monday in January for the

purpose of promoting his or her nomination or reelection to the office that the

individual holds or to which the individual has been elected. The prohibition does

not apply to contributions accepted by an incumbent official who is subject to a recall

election or by the official's personal campaign or authorized support committee from

the date on which the petition for a recall election is filed until the date of the recall

election. In addition, the bill prohibits a legislative campaign committee from

accepting any political contribution during the period from January 1 of an

odd-numbered year through the date of enactment of the biennial budget act.

Violators are subject to a forfeiture (civil penalty) of treble the amount or value

of any unlawful contribution. Intentional violators are guilty of a misdemeanor and

may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than six months or

both.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to

result if the bill is enacted.