Bill Commons

CA SB 900

enacted

Political Reform Act of 1974: top contributors: disclosures.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

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Quick answers

Did CA SB 900 pass?

Yes. CA SB 900 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-27): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 659, Statutes of 2026.

What is CA SB 900 about?

(1) Existing law permits the name of the committee that paid for certain video, print, electronic media, or text message advertisements to be shortened, as specified. For purposes of this provision, this bill would clarify that a print advertisement includes a yard sign or a billboard and an electronic media advertisement means a graphic, image, animated graphic, or animated image that the online platform hosting the advertisement allows to link to an internet website paid for by the committee, as specified. For certain advertisements, the bill would permit the names of top contributors to be shortened by using approved abbreviations or leaving out words from the top contributor's name, as specified. For printed advertisements larger than those designed to be individually distributed, such as yard signs and billboards, existing law permits the text of the disclosure to be adjusted so that it does not appear on separate horizontal lines, with the names of the top contributors separated by a comma. This bill would define such advertisements as those that exceed 187 square inches. The bill would require the names of the top contributors to be separated by clearly visible bullet points or by inserting the applicable number (1, 2, or 3) before the names of the 3 largest contributors. The bill would specify the order in which required disclosures must appear on the advertisement. The bill would also extend these requirements to electronic advertisements displayed on a physical surface. (2) Under existing law, an advertisement supporting or opposing a candidate that is paid for by an independent expenditure must include a statement that it was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. If the advertisement was authorized or paid for by a candidate for another office, the expenditure must instead include a statement that "This advertisement was not authorized or paid for by a candidate for this office or a committee controlled by a candidate for this office." This bill would shorten the above statements, respectively, to "Not paid for by candidate" and "Not paid for by a candidate for this office." (3) 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. (4) 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 23 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.

Who sponsors CA SB 900?

McNerney is the primary sponsor of CA SB 900, joined by 5 cosponsors.

Description

(1) Existing law permits the name of the committee that paid for certain video, print, electronic media, or text message advertisements to be shortened, as specified. For purposes of this provision, this bill would clarify that a print advertisement includes a yard sign or a billboard and an electronic media advertisement means a graphic, image, animated graphic, or animated image that the online platform hosting the advertisement allows to link to an internet website paid for by the committee, as specified. For certain advertisements, the bill would permit the names of top contributors to be shortened by using approved abbreviations or leaving out words from the top contributor's name, as specified. For printed advertisements larger than those designed to be individually distributed, such as yard signs and billboards, existing law permits the text of the disclosure to be adjusted so that it does not appear on separate horizontal lines, with the names of the top contributors separated by a comma. This bill would define such advertisements as those that exceed 187 square inches. The bill would require the names of the top contributors to be separated by clearly visible bullet points or by inserting the applicable number (1, 2, or 3) before the names of the 3 largest contributors. The bill would specify the order in which required disclosures must appear on the advertisement. The bill would also extend these requirements to electronic advertisements displayed on a physical surface. (2) Under existing law, an advertisement supporting or opposing a candidate that is paid for by an independent expenditure must include a statement that it was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. If the advertisement was authorized or paid for by a candidate for another office, the expenditure must instead include a statement that "This advertisement was not authorized or paid for by a candidate for this office or a committee controlled by a candidate for this office." This bill would shorten the above statements, respectively, to "Not paid for by candidate" and "Not paid for by a candidate for this office." (3) 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. (4) 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 23 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.

Introduced
2026-01-20
Latest action
2026-09-27 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 659, Statutes of 2026.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • McNerneyauthor
  • Allenprincipal coauthor
  • Umbergprincipal coauthor
  • Cervantesprincipal coauthor
  • Solacheprincipal coauthor
  • Leecoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-09-27

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 659, Statutes of 2026.

    became-law

  2. 2026-09-27

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-09-08

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-08-30

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  5. 2026-08-30

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2026-08-30

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  7. 2026-08-30

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6846.) Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  8. 2026-08-20

    Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-3

  9. 2026-08-20

    Read third time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3

  10. 2026-08-17

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  11. 2026-08-13

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  12. 2026-08-13

    Assembly Rule 63 suspended.

  13. 2026-08-13

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  14. 2026-08-05

    August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

  15. 2026-07-01

    Coauthors revised.

  16. 2026-07-01

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  17. 2026-06-04

    Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

    referral-committee

  18. 2026-05-28

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    reading-1

  19. 2026-05-28

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4525.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  20. 2026-05-26

    Ordered to special consent calendar.

  21. 2026-05-18

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  22. 2026-05-14

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4256.) (May 14).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  23. 2026-05-14

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  24. 2026-05-08

    Set for hearing May 14.

  25. 2026-05-04

    May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  26. 2026-04-24

    Set for hearing May 4.

  27. 2026-04-22

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  28. 2026-04-21

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3971.) (April 21).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  29. 2026-04-09

    Set for hearing April 21.

  30. 2026-04-08

    Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

    referral-committee

  31. 2026-03-23

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  32. 2026-02-11

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

    referral-committee

  33. 2026-01-21

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 20.

  34. 2026-01-20

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    introduction,reading-1,referral-committee

Versions

  • 01/20/26 - Introduced — 2026-01-20Compare
  • 03/23/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-03-23Compare
  • 04/22/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-04-22Compare
  • 05/14/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-05-14Compare
  • 08/13/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-13Compare
  • 08/20/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-20Compare
  • 09/01/26 - Enrolled — 2026-09-01Compare
  • 09/27/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-27Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare
  • SB900Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-04-21 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Allen: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Choi: yes

  • Placed on suspense file

    2026-05-04 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Dahle: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Grayson: yes

  • Do pass as amended

    2026-05-14 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Grayson: yes

  • Special Consent SB900 McNerney et al.

    2026-05-28 · pass · 39-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Jones: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Grove: yes
    • Valladares: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Reyes: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Ochoa Bogh: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Niello: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Strickland: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • McNerney: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • Alvarado-Gil: yes
    • Dahle: other

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-07-01 · pass · 8-0

    Member-level votes (8)
    • Ellis: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Johnson: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Stefani: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB900

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-29T21:07:59.383161Z

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