20250AB__241397AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-20 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-04-08 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-06-24 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Ransom LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom

An act to amend

Section of, and to add Sections 82035.8 and 89002.1 to, the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974. the Political Reform Act of Large-format public advertisements: public expense. The Political Reform Act of provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing and activities. The act defines “mass mailing” to mean over substantially similar pieces of mail, and defines “mass electronic mailing” to mean sending more than substantially similar pieces of electronic mail within a calendar month.

The act prohibits a mass mailing from being sent at public expense if, among other things, the mailing features an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or sends the mailing, or includes the name, office, photograph, or other reference to the elected officer and is prepared or sent in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer.

This bill would define “large-format public advertisement” as a billboard, wrap on a bus or other public transportation vehicle, advertisement affixed to a bus stop, and other public advertisements designated by the commission by regulation that are inches by inches or more in size. This bill would prohibit a large-format public advertisement from being published or displayed at public expense if, among other things, the advertisement includes the photograph of an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or purchases the large-format public advertisement.

The bill would make an agency and elected official jointly and severally liable for any administrative or civil penalties incurred if the agency prepares a large-format public advertisement that violates the bill’s provisions in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer. A violation of the Political Reform Act of is punishable as a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose 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. 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. TWO_THIRDS NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 82035.8 is added to the Government Code , to read: 82035.8. “Large-format public advertisement” means any of the following: (

a) A billboard. (

b) Wrap on a bus or other public transportation vehicle. (

c) Advertisements affixed to a bus stop or other public infrastructure. (

d) Other public advertisements that are inches by inches or more in size and that are specified by regulation.

SEC. 2.

Section of the Government Code is amended to read: 89001. (

a) A newsletter or other mass mailing shall not be sent at public expense. (

b) An agency shall not publish or display a large-format public advertisement at public expense, as provided in

Section 89002.1.

SEC.

Section 89002.1 is added to the Government Code , to read: 89002.1. (

a) A large-format public advertisement is prohibited by

Section if both the following criteria are met:

(1) The large-format public advertisement includes the photograph of an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or purchases the large-format public advertisement.

(2) The costs of distribution of the advertisement are paid for with public money, or the costs of design, production, and printing are paid for with public money. (

b) For purposes of this section, “elected officer affiliated with the agency” means an elected officer who is a member, officer, or employee of the agency, or of a subunit thereof such as a committee, or who has supervisory control over the agency or appoints one or more members of the agency. (

c) If an agency prepares a large-format public advertisement in violation of subdivision (

a) in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer, then the elected officer and the agency shall be jointly and severally liable for any administrative or civil penalties incurred for the violation.

SEC. 4. 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. 5. 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.