Bill Sponsor
California Assembly Bill 789
Session 20252026
Political Reform Act of 1974: security expenses.
Became Law
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 11, 2025
Sponsor
First Action
Feb 18, 2025
Latest Action
Oct 11, 2025
Origin Chamber
Assembly
Type
Bill
Bill Number
789
State
California
Session
20252026
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Author
Democrat
Principal Coauthor
Assembly Votes (3)
Senate Votes (2)
Summary
The Political Reform Act of 1974 regulates the use of campaign funds held by candidates for elective office, elected officers, and campaign committees. The act authorizes a candidate or elected officer to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the reasonable costs of installing and monitoring a home or office electronic security system or for another tangible item related to security, and for the reasonable costs of providing personal security to a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff of a candidate or elected officer, provided that the threat or potential threat to safety arises from the candidate's or elected officer's activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer or from staff's position as staff of the candidate or elected officer. The act permits a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes during their lifetime. This bill would eliminate that monetary cap until January 1, 2029. Beginning January 1, 2029, the bill would instead permit a candidate or elected officer to expend a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds for these purposes per calendar year. Existing law exempts payments to a relative, within the third degree of consanguinity, of a candidate or elected officer from the definition of "security expenses." This bill would instead exempt payments to the candidate's or elected officer's spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, or first cousin or the spouse of any such person from the definition of "security expenses." This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 89517.5 of the Government Code proposed by AB 808, to be operative only if this bill and AB 808 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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.
10/11/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 621, Statutes of 2025.
10/11/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/24/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
09/13/2025
Assembly
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 65. Noes 6. Page 3465.).
09/13/2025
Assembly
Joint Rules 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.)
09/12/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
09/12/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 4. Page 2985.).
09/04/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
09/03/2025
Senate
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
08/26/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/25/2025
Senate
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
07/16/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
07/15/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 15).
07/08/2025
Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
06/25/2025
Senate
Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
06/24/2025
Senate
Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
06/24/2025
Senate
Withdrawn from committee.
06/23/2025
Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
05/07/2025
Senate
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
04/21/2025
Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
04/21/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 59. Noes 4. Page 1170.)
04/03/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
04/02/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 1).
03/18/2025
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
03/17/2025
Assembly
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
03/17/2025
Assembly
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
02/19/2025
Assembly
From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
02/18/2025
Assembly
Read first time. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 19, 2025 6:00:28 AM
Record Updated
Dec 3, 2025 8:33:43 AM