ARTICLE 1. Organization of Committees [84100. - 84109.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 1.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84100. Section 84100.

(a) Every recipient committee, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 82013, shall have a treasurer. An expenditure shall not be made by or on behalf of a committee without the authorization of the treasurer or the treasurer’s designated agents. A contribution or expenditure shall not be accepted or made by or on behalf of a committee when the office of treasurer is vacant. (b) A recipient committee, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 82013, may designate one assistant treasurer on the committee’s statement of organization. The assistant treasurer may sign and verify a campaign statement on behalf of the committee if the assistant uses reasonable diligence to prepare and review the statement and signs to that effect under penalty of perjury as required by Section 81004.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84101. Section 84101.

(a) A committee that is a committee by virtue of subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file a statement of organization. The committee shall file the original of the statement of organization with the Secretary of State and shall also file a copy of the statement of organization with the local filing officer, if any, with whom the committee is required to file an original campaign statement pursuant to Section 84215. The original and copy of the statement of organization shall be filed within 10 days after the committee has qualified as a committee. The Secretary of State shall assign a number to each committee that files a statement of organization and shall notify the committee of the number. The Secretary of State shall send a copy of statements filed pursuant to this section, with the information specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) redacted, to the county elections official of each county that the Secretary of State deems appropriate. A county elections official who receives a copy of a statement of organization from the Secretary of State pursuant to this section shall send a copy of the statement to the clerk of each city in the county that the county elections official deems appropriate. (b) In addition to filing the statement of organization as required by subdivision (a), if a committee qualifies as a committee under subdivision (a) of Section 82013 before the date of an election in connection with which the committee is required to file preelection statements, but after the closing date of the last campaign statement required to be filed before the election pursuant to Section 84200.8 or 84200.9, the committee shall file, by facsimile transmission, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours of qualifying as a committee, the information required to be reported in the statement of organization. The information required by this subdivision shall be filed with the filing officer with whom the committee is required to file an original campaign statement pursuant to Section 84215. (c) If an independent expenditure committee qualifies as a committee pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 during the time period described in Section 82036.5 and makes independent expenditures of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more to support or oppose a candidate or candidates for office, the committee shall file, by facsimile transmission, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours of qualifying as a committee, the information required to be reported in the statement of organization. The information required by this section shall be filed with the filing officer with whom the committee is required to file an original campaign statement pursuant to Section 84215, and shall be filed at all locations required for the candidate or candidates supported or opposed by the independent expenditures. The filings required by this section are in addition to filings that may be required by Section 84204. (d) For purposes of this section, in calculating whether two thousand dollars ($2,000) in contributions has been received, payments for a filing fee or for a statement of qualifications to appear in a sample ballot shall not be included if these payments have been made from the candidate’s personal funds. (e) (1) A committee may redact, or otherwise omit, a bank account number included on the copy of the statement of organization filed with the local filing officer pursuant to subdivision (a). A local filing officer shall not require a committee to disclose a bank account number on the copy of the statement of organization filed with the local filing officer as a condition of accepting that filing. (2) Notwithstanding Section 81008 or the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), the Secretary of State shall redact the bank account number on a statement of organization filed with the Secretary of State before making the statement available to the public in any form.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84101.5. Section 84101.5.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 81006, the Secretary of State shall charge each committee that is required to file a statement of organization pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 84101 an annual fee of fifty dollars ($50) until the committee is terminated pursuant to Section 84214. (b) (1) A committee subject to the annual fee pursuant to subdivision (a) shall pay the fee no later than 15 days after filing its statement of organization and no later than January 15 of each year thereafter, except as provided in paragraph (2). (2) A committee that is created, and pays the initial fee pursuant to paragraph (1), in October, November, or December of a calendar year is not subject to the annual fee for the following calendar year. (c) (1) A committee that fails to timely pay the annual fee required by this section is subject to an administrative penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150). (2) The Secretary of State shall enforce the requirements of this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84102. Section 84102.

The statement of organization required by Section 84101 shall include all of the following: (a) The name, street address, email address, and telephone number, if any, of the committee. In the case of a sponsored committee, the name of the committee shall include the name of its sponsor. If a committee has more than one sponsor, and the sponsors are members of an industry or other identifiable group, a term identifying that industry or group shall be included in the name of the committee. (b) In the case of a sponsored committee, the name, street address, and telephone number of each sponsor. (c) The full name, street address, email address, and telephone number of the treasurer and any other principal officers. (1) A committee with more than one principal officer shall identify its principal officers as follows: (A) A committee with three or fewer principal officers shall identify all principal officers. (B) A committee with more than three principal officers shall identify no fewer than three principal officers. (2) If no individual other than the treasurer is a principal officer, the treasurer shall be identified as both the treasurer and the principal officer. (d) (1) An acknowledgment by any person identified as a treasurer or assistant treasurer on the statement of organization of the following: (A) By serving as treasurer or assistant treasurer, the person must comply with all applicable duties stated in this title and the regulations of the Commission. (B) A violation of these duties could result in criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (2) A failure to complete the acknowledgment pursuant to paragraph (1) is not a violation of this title. However, the Secretary of State shall not accept a statement of organization unless the acknowledgment has been completed. (3) This subdivision shall not become operative until the Secretary of State certifies an online filing and disclosure system pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 84602. (e) The full name and office sought by a candidate, and the title and ballot number, if any, of any measure, that the committee supports or opposes as its primary activity. A committee that does not support or oppose one or more candidates or ballot measures as its primary activity shall provide a brief description of its political activities, including whether it supports or opposes candidates or measures and whether such candidates or measures have common characteristics, such as a political party preference. (f) A statement whether the committee is independent or controlled and, if it is controlled, the name of each candidate or state measure proponent by which it is controlled, or the name of any controlled committee with which it acts jointly. If a committee is controlled by a candidate for partisan or voter-nominated office, the controlled committee shall indicate the political party, if any, for which the candidate has disclosed a preference. (g) For a committee that is a committee by virtue of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 82013, the name and address of the financial institution in which the committee has established an account and the account number. (h) Other information as shall be required by the rules or regulations of the Commission consistent with the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84103. Section 84103.

(a) If there is a change in any of the information contained in a statement of organization, an amendment shall be filed within 10 days to reflect the change. The committee shall file the original of the amendment online or electronically with the Secretary of State and shall also file a copy of the amendment with the local filing officer, if any, with whom the committee is required to file the originals of its campaign reports pursuant to Section 84215. (b) In addition to filing an amendment to a statement of organization as required by subdivision (a), a committee as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall file an amendment to its statement of organization within 24 hours if the change requiring the amendment occurs within 16 days before the date of the election in connection with which the committee is required to file a preelection statement, and if any of the following information is changed: (1) The name of the committee. (2) The name of the treasurer or other principal officers. (3) The name of any candidate or committee by which the committee is controlled or with which it acts jointly. The amendment shall include the changed information, the date of the change, and the committee’s name and identification number. The committee shall file the original of the amendment online or electronically with the Secretary of State and a copy with the local filing officer, if any, with whom the committee is required to file the original of its campaign reports, by email, fax, online transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery. (c) (1) If an amendment to a statement of organization identifies a new treasurer or assistant treasurer that person shall complete the acknowledgment required by subdivision (d) of Section 84102. (2) A failure to complete the acknowledgment pursuant to paragraph (1) is not a violation of this title. However, the Secretary of State shall not accept an amendment to a statement of organization that identifies a new treasurer or assistant treasurer unless the acknowledgment has been completed. (3) This subdivision shall not become operative until the Secretary of State certifies an online filing and disclosure system pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 84602.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84104. Section 84104.

It shall be the duty of each candidate, treasurer, principal officer, and elected officer to maintain detailed accounts, records, bills, and receipts necessary to prepare campaign statements, to establish that campaign statements were properly filed, and to otherwise comply with the provisions of this chapter. The detailed accounts, records, bills, and receipts shall be retained by the filer for a period specified by the Commission. However, the Commission shall not require retention of records for a period longer than the statute of limitations specified in Section 91000.5 or two years after the adoption of an audit report pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 90000), whichever is less.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84105. Section 84105.

(a) A candidate or committee that receives contributions totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more from a person in a calendar year shall inform that contributor within two weeks of receipt that the contributor may be required to file campaign reports. The notice shall include a reference to the filing requirements for multipurpose organizations under Section 84222. (b) A candidate or committee that receives a contribution of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more from a person during a period in which late-contribution reports are required to be filed under Section 84203 shall provide the information in subdivision (a) of that section to the contributor within one week. (c) The notifications required by this section need not be sent to a contributor who has an identification number assigned by the Secretary of State issued under Section 84101.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84106. Section 84106.

(a) Whenever identification of a sponsored committee is required by this title, the identification shall include the full name of the committee as required in its statement of organization. (b) A sponsored committee shall use only one name in its statement of organization.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84107. Section 84107.

Within 30 days of the designation of the numerical order of propositions appearing on the ballot, any committee which is primarily formed to support or oppose a ballot measure, shall, if supporting the measure, include the statement, “a committee for Proposition ____,” or, if opposing the measure, include the statement, “a committee against Proposition ____,” in any reference to the committee required by law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84108. Section 84108.

(a) Every slate mailer organization shall comply with the requirements of Sections 84100, 84101, 84103, and 84104. (b) The statement of organization of a slate mailer organization shall include: (1) The name, street address, and telephone number of the organization. In the case of an individual or business entity that qualifies as a slate mailer organization, the name of the slate mailer organization shall include the name by which the individual or entity is identified for legal purposes. Whenever identification of a slate mailer organization is required by this title, the identification shall include the full name of the slate mailer organization as contained in its statement of organization. (2) The full name, street address, and telephone number of the treasurer and other principal officers. (3) The full name, street address, and telephone number of each person with final decisionmaking authority as to which candidates or measures will be supported or opposed in the organization’s slate mailers. (c) The statement of organization shall be filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the slate mailer organization receives or is promised five hundred dollars ($500) or more for producing one or more slate mailers. However, if an entity qualifies as a slate mailer organization before the date of an election in which it is required to file preelection statements, but after the closing date of the last campaign statement required to be filed before the election pursuant to Section 84218, the slate mailer organization shall file with the Secretary of State, by facsimile transmission, guaranteed overnight delivery, or personal delivery within 24 hours of qualifying as a slate mailer organization, the information required to be reported in the statement of organization.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 84109. Section 84109.

(a) A limited liability company that qualifies as a committee pursuant to Section 82013, or qualifies as a sponsor of a committee pursuant to Section 82048.7, shall file a statement of members with the Secretary of State. (b) The statement of members shall include a list of all persons who either: (1) Have a membership interest in the limited liability company equal to or greater than 10 percent of the total outstanding membership interests. (2) Made a cumulative capital contribution of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more to the limited liability company after it qualified as a committee or sponsor of a committee, or within the preceding 12 months before it qualified. (c) The statement of members shall include all of the following: (1) The name of the limited liability company and the contact information for its responsible officer or principal officer. (2) The name of each member required to be identified by subdivision (b). (3) The dollar amount of the cumulative capital contributions made by each member identified in the statement of members. (4) The date of each capital contribution made by a member identified pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). (5) The percentage ownership interest in the limited liability company of each member identified in the statement of members. (d) (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a statement of members is due within 10 days of the limited liability company qualifying as a committee or sponsor of a committee. (B) A statement of members is due within 24 hours of the limited liability company qualifying as a committee or sponsor of a committee if the limited liability company qualifies within 30 days of an election and the limited liability company has made a contribution to, or an independent expenditure supporting or opposing, a candidate or ballot measure on the ballot in that election, or made a contribution to a committee that made a contribution to, or an independent expenditure supporting or opposing, a candidate or ballot measure on the ballot in that election. (2) (A) A limited liability company required to file a statement of members under subdivision (a) shall file an amended statement if it receives a capital contribution of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more after qualifying as a committee or sponsor of a committee. (B) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), a limited liability company required to file an amended statement of members shall file the amended statement within 10 days of receiving the additional capital contribution. (ii) A limited liability company required to file an amended statement of members shall file the amended statement within 24 hours of receiving the additional capital contribution if the limited liability company receives the contribution within 90 days of an election and the limited liability company has made a contribution to, or independent expenditure supporting or opposing, a candidate or ballot measure on the ballot in that election. (C) A capital contribution or other payment made to a limited liability company that qualified as a committee or sponsor of a committee that is earmarked, in whole or in part, for political purposes shall be deemed a contribution to the committee. (e) If a member listed on a statement of members is a limited liability company, the statement shall list all members of that limited liability company who would be listed on a statement of members pursuant to subdivision (b) if the member limited liability company qualified as a committee or sponsor of a committee. (f) Contributions from a member of a limited liability company identified in a statement of members shall be aggregated with contributions from the limited liability company pursuant to Section 82015.5. (g) (1) A statement of members shall be filed by email with the Secretary of State and shall be signed by using a secure electronic signature. The Secretary of State shall post all statements received pursuant to this subdivision on its internet website within five business days, or if the Secretary of State receives the statement during the 16 days before the election, within 48 hours. (2) This subdivision shall become inoperative on the date the Secretary of State makes the statement of members available for filing using the Secretary of State’s online filing and disclosure system described in Section 84602. (h) (1) No later than one year after the Secretary of State certifies the online filing and disclosure system pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 84602, the Secretary of State shall make the statement of members available for filing using that online filing and disclosure system. (2) (A) A statement of members shall be filed online or electronically with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall make a statement of members filed pursuant to this subdivision available to the public in the online filing and disclosure system described in Section 84602. (B) This paragraph shall become operative on the date the Secretary of State makes the statement of members available for filing using the Secretary of State’s online filing and disclosure system described in Section 84602. (i) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Capital contribution” means money, or the fair market value of any other property, contributed to a limited liability company in exchange for a membership interest in the limited liability company. (2) “Limited liability company” means an entity defined in subdivision (j) or (k) of Section 17701.02 of the Corporations Code. (3) “Member” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (p) of Section 17701.02 of the Corporations Code.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026