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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 1736

Political Reform Act of 1974: lobbyist employers: fictitious appearances.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

(1) Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a lobbyist or lobbying firm from attempting to create a fictitious appearance of public favor or disfavor of any proposed legislative or administrative action or to cause any communication to be sent to any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate in the name of any fictitious person or in the name of any real person, except with the consent of the real person. The act defines "lobbyist employer" as any person, other than a lobbying firm, who employs one or more lobbyists or contracts for the services of a lobbying firm, as specified. This bill would extend the above prohibition to lobbyist employers. (2) 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. (3) A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a prohibition under the act, the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime and therefore create 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.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 8:07 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Jun 25, 2026
Senate		Consent Calendar 2ndpassSet your home in California to see
Jun 9, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 23, 2026
House		AB 1736 Pellerin Consent Calendar Second DaypassSet your home in California to see
Apr 15, 2026
House		Do pass. To Consent Calendar.passSet your home in California to see
Mar 25, 2026
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see

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