AB 789: Political Reform Act of 1974: security expenses.

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 regulates the use of campaign funds held by candidates for elective office, elected officers, and campaign committees. The act authorizes a candidate or elected officer to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the reasonable costs of installing and monitoring a home or office electronic security system or for another tangible item related to security, and for the reasonable costs of providing personal security to a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff of a candidate or elected officer, provided that the threat or potential threat to safety arises from the candidate’s or elected officer’s activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer or from staff’s position as staff of the candidate or elected officer. The act permits a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes during their lifetime.

This bill would eliminate that monetary cap until January 1, 2029. Beginning January 1, 2029, the bill would instead permit a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes per calendar year.

Existing law exempts payments to a relative, within the third degree of consanguinity, of a candidate or elected officer from the definition of “security expenses.”

This bill would instead exempt payments to the candidate’s or elected officer’s spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, or first cousin or the spouse of any such person from the definition of “security expenses.”

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 89517.5 of the Government Code proposed by AB 808, to be operative only if this bill and AB 808 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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

“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. October 11, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 621, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 11, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 24, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. September 13, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 65. Noes 6. Page 3465.).
5. September 13, 2025Joint Rules 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.)
6. September 12, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
7. September 12, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 4. Page 2985.).
8. September 4, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. September 3, 2025Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
10. August 26, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. August 25, 2025Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
12. July 16, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.