Political Reform Act of 1974: refunding and transferring contributions: voter information guide.

The California Assembly Committee on Elections proposes substantial updates to the Political Reform Act of 1974, modifying how campaign contributions are managed and voter information is presented to the public. The legislation revises requirements for candidates who raise funds for general elections before primary elections, establishing that those whose names do not appear on primary ballots may transfer these funds to other campaign committees rather than issuing refunds.

The bill updates terminology throughout the Political Reform Act to align voter information materials with current practice, replacing references to "ballot pamphlets" with "state voter information guide" and "sample ballot" with "county voter information guide." These guides must contain specific elements, including complete measure texts, analyses, and arguments, with formatting requirements to ensure readability. For statewide referendum measures, the guides must now list the top three financial contributors who provided $50,000 or more to qualify the measure.

The legislation also modifies reporting requirements for multipurpose organizations engaging in political activities. Organizations must use a "last in, first out" accounting method when reporting contributors, though certain donations may be excluded, such as those explicitly restricted from political use or grants from private foundations under specific conditions. The bill maintains existing electronic filing protocols while adding provisions for protecting sensitive information, including requirements to redact bank account details and authorized persons' names from public documents.