Under the Political Reform Act of 1974, a "contribution" means a payment, a forgiveness of a loan, a payment of a loan by a 3rd party, or an enforceable promise to make a payment, except to the extent that full and adequate consideration is received, unless it is clear from the surrounding circumstances that it is not made for political purposes. Under the act, an "independent expenditure" is an expenditure in connection with a communication which expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a clearly identified measure, or taken as a whole and in context, unambiguously urges a particular result in an election but which is not made to or at the behest of the affected candidate or committee. A candidate or committee that makes an independent expenditure totaling $1,000 or more in a calendar year to support or oppose a measure or qualification of a measure is required to file a report of that disclosure with the Fair Political Practices Commission. A person who violates the act is subject to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties.
California AB 9 (20092010) — Political Reform Act of 1974: expenditures.
Under the Political Reform Act of 1974, a "contribution" means a payment, a forgiveness of a loan, a payment of a loan by a 3rd party, or an enforceable promise to make a payment, except to the extent that full and adequate consideration is received, unless it is clear from the surrounding circumstances that it is not made for political purposes. Under the act, an "independent expenditure" is an expenditure in connection with a communication which expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a clearly identified measure, or taken as a whole and in context, unambiguously urges a particular result in an election but which is not made to or at the behest of the affected candidate or committee. A candidate or committee that makes an independent expenditure totaling $1,000 or more in a calendar year to support or oppose a measure or qualification of a measure is required to file a report of that disclosure with the Fair Political Practices Commission. A person who violates the act is subject to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
Do pass, but re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. — pass (pass) · upper
Assembly 3rd Reading AB9 John A. Perez By DeSaulnier — pass (pass) · upper
Do pass. — pass (pass) · lower
AB9 PEREZ, J. Assembly Third Reading — pass (pass) · lower
AB9 PEREZ, J. Concurrence in Senate Amendments — pass (pass) · lower
Sponsors
John A. Perez — primary (person)
Beall — coauthor (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2008-12-01 Read first time. To print. reading-1
2008-12-02 From printer. May be heard in committee January 1.
2009-02-05 Referred to Com. on E. & R. referral-committee
2009-05-05 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (May 5). committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage
2009-05-06 Read second time. To third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2009-05-18 Read third time, passed, and to Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 3. Page 1535.) reading-3, passage, reading-1
2009-05-18 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. reading-1
2009-06-04 Referred to Com. on E., R., & C.A. referral-committee
2009-06-24 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., R., & C.A. amendment-introduction, reading-2, amendment-passage, referral-committee, reading-1
2009-07-08 From committee: Do pass, and re-refer to Com. on APPR. Re-referred. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 7). committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage
2009-07-23 From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8. committee-passage
2009-08-17 Read second time. To third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2009-09-03 Read third time, passed, and to Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2153.) reading-3, passage, reading-1
2009-09-08 In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 10 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
2009-09-11 Senate amendments concurred in. To enrollment. (Ayes 78. Noes 1. Page 3347.) amendment-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2009-09-28 Enrolled and to the Governor at 11:30 a.m.
2009-10-11 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2009-10-11 Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 363, Statutes of 2009.
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/0da2c54e-ae29-48e0-af84-ea79a419078a. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).
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