AB 950: Political Reform Act of 1974: advertisements.

Official summary

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

(1)Existing law establishes requirements for the disclosure of information related to political advertisements, including the name of the committee that paid for the advertisement and the names of the top contributors to the committee. For certain video, print, electronic media, or text message advertisements, existing law permits the name of the committee that paid for the advertisement to be shortened, as specified.

This bill would establish the Billboard DISCLOSE Act. For purposes of the above provision permitting the name of the committee to be shortened, this bill would clarify that a print advertisement includes a yard sign or a billboard and an electronic media advertisement means a graphic, image, animated graphic, or animated image that the online platform hosting the advertisement allows to link to an internet website paid for by the committee, as specified. For certain advertisements, the bill would permit the names of top contributors to be shortened by using approved abbreviations or leaving out words from the top contributor’s name, as specified. For certain advertisements, the bill would also specify the order in which required disclosures must appear on the advertisement.

(2)For larger printed advertisements such as yard signs and billboards, existing law permits the text of the disclosure to be adjusted so that it does not appear on separate horizontal lines, with the names of the top contributors separated by a comma.

This bill would also permit the names of the top contributors to be separated by clearly visible bullet points or by inserting the applicable number (1, 2, or 3) before the names of the 3 largest contributors. The bill would also specify the order in which required disclosures must appear on the advertisement.

(3)Under existing law, an advertisement supporting or opposing a candidate that is paid for by an independent expenditure must include a statement that it was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. If the advertisement was authorized or paid for by a candidate for another office, the expenditure must instead include a statement that “This advertisement was not authorized or paid for by a candidate for this office or a committee controlled by a candidate for this office.”

This bill would shorten the above statements, respectively, to “Not paid for by candidate” and “Not paid for by a candidate for this office.”

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“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 29, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
2. August 18, 2025In committee: Referred to suspense file.
3. July 15, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. July 8, 2025From 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.
5. June 19, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
6. June 4, 2025Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
7. May 23, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
8. May 23, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1663.)
9. May 15, 2025Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
10. May 14, 2025From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
11. April 30, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
12. April 23, 2025Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.