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 Bill Text - SB-42 Political Reform Act of 1974: public campaign financing: California Fair Elections Act of 2026.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 10/02/25 - Chaptered
 09/17/25 - Enrolled
 09/03/25 - Amended Assembly
 06/25/25 - Amended Assembly
 05/23/25 - Amended Senate
 04/02/25 - Amended Senate
 02/05/25 - Amended Senate
 12/05/24 - Introduced

 SB-42 Political Reform Act of 1974: public campaign financing: California Fair Elections Act of 2026.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 10/03/2025 10:00 AM

SB42:v92#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Senate Bill

 No. 42

 CHAPTER 245

An act to amend Sections 85300 and 85320 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

 [
 Approved by

 Governor
 October 02, 2025.

 Filed with

 Secretary of State
 October 02, 2025.
 ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 42, Umberg.
 Political Reform Act of 1974: public campaign financing: California Fair Elections Act of 2026.

Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a public officer from expending, and a candidate from accepting, public moneys for the purpose of seeking elective office.

This bill would remove prohibitions imposed on a public officer or candidate to expend or accept public funds, as defined, for the purpose of seeking elective office unless the funds are earmarked by a state or local entity for education, transportation, or public safety. The bill would require candidates to abide by specified expenditure limits and meet strict criteria, as defined, to qualify for public funds. The bill would prohibit public funds from being used to pay
 legal defense fees or fines or to repay personal loans to their campaign. The bill would permit a statute, ordinance, or charter to establish standards to increase the expenditure limits for each qualified, voluntarily participating candidate pursuant to a specified formula. The bill would provide that the Fair Political Practices Commission is not responsible for administering or enforcing a system of public funding of candidates established by a local governmental agency.

Existing law prohibits a foreign government or foreign principal, as defined, from making a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in connection with the qualification or support of, or opposition to, any state or local ballot measure or in connection with the
 election of a candidate to state or local office. Under existing law, a person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine equal to the amount contributed or expended.

This bill would instead require that a person guilty of
 that misdemeanor, in addition to other penalties, be fined an amount at least equal to the amount contributed or expended, but not exceeding a maximum amount of 3 times the amount contributed or expended.

The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the act may be amended by a statute that becomes effective upon approval of the voters.

This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill, as specified, to the voters for approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general
 election. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 85320 of the Government Code proposed by AB 953 to be operative pursuant to specified conditions.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 NO 
 Local Program:
 NO 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Fair Elections Act of 2026.

SEC. 2.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: 

(a) All citizens should be able to make their voices heard in the political process and hold their elected officials accountable.

(b) Elections for local or state elective office should be fair, open, and competitive.

(c) The increasing costs of political campaigns can force candidates to rely on large contributions from wealthy donors and special interests, which can give those wealthy donors and special interests
 disproportionate influence over governmental decisions.

(d) Such disproportionate influence can undermine the public’s trust that public officials are performing their duties in an impartial manner and that government is serving the needs and responding to the wishes of all citizens equally, without regard to their wealth.

(e) Sp