California Senate Bill 900
Session 20252026
Political Reform Act of 1974: top contributors: disclosures.
Active
Passed Assembly on Aug 30, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
900
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
Unfinished Business SB900 McNerney et al. Concurrence
Senate Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Summary
(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.
01/20/26 - Introduced
January 20, 2026
03/23/26 - Amended Senate
March 23, 2026
04/22/26 - Amended Senate
April 22, 2026
05/14/26 - Amended Senate
May 14, 2026
08/13/26 - Amended Assembly
August 13, 2026
08/20/26 - Amended Assembly
August 20, 2026
09/01/26 - Enrolled
September 1, 2026
04/17/26- Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments
April 17, 2026
05/01/26- Senate Appropriations
May 1, 2026
05/14/26- Senate Appropriations
May 14, 2026
05/27/26- Sen. Floor Analyses
May 27, 2026
06/29/26- Assembly Elections
June 29, 2026
08/03/26- Assembly Appropriations
August 3, 2026
08/18/26- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
August 18, 2026
08/21/26- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
August 21, 2026
08/30/26- Sen. Floor Analyses
August 30, 2026
Sort by most recent
09/08/2026
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
08/30/2026
Senate
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
08/30/2026
Senate
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
08/30/2026
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
08/20/2026
Assembly
Ordered to third reading.
08/20/2026
Assembly
Read third time and amended.
08/17/2026
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/13/2026
Assembly
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
08/13/2026
Assembly
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).
08/13/2026
Assembly
Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
08/05/2026
Assembly
August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
07/01/2026
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/01/2026
Assembly
Coauthors revised.
06/04/2026
Assembly
Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
05/28/2026
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
05/28/2026
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4525.) Ordered to the Assembly.
05/26/2026
Senate
Ordered to special consent calendar.
05/18/2026
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/14/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
05/14/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4256.) (May 14).
05/08/2026
Senate
Set for hearing May 14.
05/04/2026
Senate
May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
04/24/2026
Senate
Set for hearing May 4.
04/22/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/21/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3971.) (April 21).
04/09/2026
Senate
Set for hearing April 21.
04/08/2026
Senate
Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
03/23/2026
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
02/11/2026
Senate
Referred to Com. on RLS.
01/21/2026
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 20.
01/20/2026
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Jan 21, 2026 8:35:44 AM
Record Updated
Sep 9, 2026 9:18:35 AM