20250AB__173698ENR INTRODUCED 2026-02-05 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2026-04-23 PASSED_SENATE 2026-06-25 ENROLLED 2026-06-29 2025 AB ENR Introduced by Assembly Member Pellerin LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin

An act to amend Sections and of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974. the Political Reform Act of Political Reform Act of 1974: lobbyist employers: fictitious appearances.

(1) Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a lobbyist or lobbying firm from attempting to create a fictitious appearance of public favor or disfavor of any proposed legislative or administrative action or to cause any communication to be sent to any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate in the name of any fictitious person or in the name of any real person, except with the consent of the real person.

The act defines “lobbyist employer” as any person, other than a lobbying firm, who employs one or more lobbyists or contracts for the services of a lobbying firm, as specified. This bill would extend the above prohibition to lobbyist employers.

(2) 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 2 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.

(3) A violation of the Political Reform Act of is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a prohibition under the act, the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime and therefore create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. TWO_THIRDS NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section of the Government Code is amended to read: 86205. (

a) A lobbyist or lobbying firm shall not:

(1) Do anything with the purpose of placing any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate under personal obligation to the lobbyist, the lobbying firm, or the lobbyist’s or the firm’s employer.

(2) Deceive or attempt to deceive any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate with regard to any material fact pertinent to any pending or proposed legislative or administrative action.

(3) Cause or influence the introduction of any bill or amendment thereto for the purpose of thereafter being employed to secure its passage or defeat.

(4) Represent falsely, either directly or indirectly, that the lobbyist or the lobbying firm can control the official action of any elected state officer, legislative official, or agency official.

(5) Accept or agree to accept any payment in any way contingent upon the defeat, enactment, or outcome of any proposed legislative or administrative action. (

b) A lobbyist, lobbying firm, or lobbying employer shall not create or attempt to create a fictitious appearance of public favor or disfavor of any proposed legislative or administrative action or cause or attempt to cause any communication to be sent to any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate in the name of any fictitious person or in the name of any real person, except with the consent of such real person.

SEC. 2.

Section of the Government Code is amended to read: 86206. This

article does not prohibit the payment of fees for contractual services provided to an investment manager by a placement agent, as defined in

Section 82047.3, who is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, except as provided in paragraph (5) of subdivision (

a) of

Section 86205.

SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to

Section of

Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of

Section of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of

Section of

Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SEC. 4. The Legislature finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of within the meaning of subdivision (

a) of

Section of the Government Code.