Bill Text: CA AB315 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Local government: lobbying associations: expenditure of public funds.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB315 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB315-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
January 06, 2020 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
July 05, 2019 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 315
Introduced by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia |
January 30, 2019 |
An act to amend Sections 50024 and 53060.5 of the Government Code, relating to local government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 315, as amended, Cristina Garcia.
Local government: lobbying associations: expenditure of public funds.
Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a local agency, defined as a county, city, or city and county, or a district, defined broadly to include other political subdivisions or public corporations in the state other than the state or a county, city and county, or city, to attend the Legislature and the Congress of the United States, and any committees thereof, and to present information regarding legislation that the legislative body or the district deems to be beneficial or detrimental to the local agency or the district. Existing law also authorizes the legislative body of a local agency or a district to enter into an association for these purposes and specifies that the cost and expense incident to the legislative body’s or district’s membership in the association and the activities of the association are proper charges against the local agencies or districts comprising the
association.
This bill, with respect to moneys paid to or otherwise received by an association from a local agency or district member of the association, would prohibit an association of local agencies or districts from expending those moneys for any purpose other than the above-described activities and educational activities. The bill would also require the association to publicly disclose the amount of those moneys expended on the above-described activities of the association. The bill would prohibit an association from incurring any travel-related expenses except as may be necessary for the association to hold an annual conference or other gathering of its members. members or to hold or send its members to attend
educational activities, as defined.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 50024 of the Government Code is amended to read:50024.
(a) The legislative body of a local agency may enter into an association and, through a representative of that association, attend the Legislature and the Congress of the United States, and any committees thereof, and present information to aid the passage of legislation which the association deems beneficial to the local agencies in the association, or to prevent the passage of legislation which the association deems detrimental to the local agencies in the association. The cost and expense incident to a legislative body’s membership in an association and the activities of the association pursuant to this section are proper charges against the local agencies comprising the association.(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the following shall apply with respect to any moneys paid to or otherwise received by an association from a local agency member of that association:
(1) An association shall not expend the moneys described in this subdivision for any purpose other than those activities described in subdivision (a) and educational activities.
(2) The association shall publicly disclose any expenditure of the moneys described in this subdivision, including a description of the activity funded.
(c) An association of local agencies subject to this section shall not incur any travel-related expenses except as may be necessary for the association to hold
do any of the following:
(1) Hold an annual conference or other gathering, whether or not that gathering is held on a regular basis, of its members.
(2) Hold or send its members to attend educational activities.
(d) For purposes of this section, “educational activities” means professional development activities or trainings on legislation, regulations, or other state and federal laws.
SEC. 2.
Section 53060.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:53060.5.
(a) For purposes of this section, “district” means a district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state, but does not include the state or a county, city and county, or city.(b) (1) Any district, directly or through a representative, may attend the Legislature or any other legislative body, including the Congress of the United States, and any committees thereof, and present information to aid the passage of legislation which the district deems beneficial to the district or to prevent the passage of legislation which the governing board of the district
deems detrimental to the district. The cost and expense incident to a district’s activities under this paragraph are proper charges against the district.
(2) A district may enter into and provide for participation in the business of an association and, through a representative of that association, attend the Legislature, or any other legislative body, including the Congress of the United States, and any committees thereof, and present information to aid the passage of legislation which the association deems beneficial to the districts in the association, or to prevent the passage of legislation which the association deems detrimental to the districts in the association. The cost and expense incident to a district’s membership in an association and the activities of the association pursuant to this paragraph are proper charges
against the districts comprising the association.
(3) Subject to subdivision (d), each member of a district board engaging in those activities described in this subdivision on behalf of the district shall be allowed eleven cents ($0.11) per mile, without any constructive mileage, for the board member’s expenses of traveling necessarily done by automobile, and the member’s actual traveling expenses when the member travels by public conveyance.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, the following shall apply with respect to any moneys paid to or otherwise received by an association from a district member of that association:
(1) An association shall not expend the moneys described in this subdivision for any purpose other than those
activities described in subdivision (b) and educational activities.
(2) The association shall publicly disclose any expenditure of the moneys described in this subdivision, including a description of the activity funded.
(d) An association of districts subject to this section shall not incur any travel-related expenses except as may be necessary for the association to hold do any of the following:
(1) Hold
an annual conference or other gathering, whether or not that gathering is held on a regular basis, of its members.
(2) Hold or send its members to attend educational activities.
(e) For purposes of this section, “educational activities” means professional development activities or trainings on legislation, regulations, or other state and federal laws.