AB 1560: Lobbyist certification.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires individual lobbyists to prepare certifications, as specified, for filing with the Secretary of State. The act also requires lobbying firms and certain lobbyist employers to register with the Secretary of State. The act makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. Under existing law, a person who violates the act is prohibited from acting as a lobbyist for a period of four years following the date of conviction, except as specified.

This bill would prohibit a person who has been convicted of a crime of public corruption, as defined, from serving as a lobbyist for 12 years following the date of the conviction. The bill would prohibit the Secretary of State from accepting a lobbying certification from a person who indicates such a conviction on the lobbying certification. The bill would void an existing lobbying certification in the event of such a conviction. The bill would require a registered lobbyist, upon conviction for a crime of public corruption, to immediately terminate their registration with the Secretary of State. The bill would require a lobbying certification to include a statement that the applicant has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 86103 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2592 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2592 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

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.

A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 11

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 31, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2. August 31, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).
3. August 13, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
4. August 12, 2026From Consent Calendar.
5. August 12, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
6. August 12, 2026Ordered to third reading.
7. August 11, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. August 10, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
9. July 29, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
10. June 30, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. June 22, 2026From 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.
12. June 10, 2026Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.