Bill Text: CA AB2413 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Large-format public advertisements: public expense.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-30 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [AB2413 Detail]
Download: California-2025-AB2413-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Senate
June 24, 2026 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
April 08, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2413
| Introduced by Assembly Member Ransom |
February 20, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 89001 of, and to add Sections 82035.8 and 89002.1 to, the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2413, as amended, Ransom.
Large-format public advertisements: public expense.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing and activities. The act defines “mass mailing” to mean over 200 substantially similar pieces of mail, and defines “mass electronic mailing” to mean sending more than 200 substantially similar pieces of electronic mail within a calendar month. The act prohibits a mass mailing from being sent at public expense if, among other things, the mailing features an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or sends the mailing, or includes the name, office, photograph, or other reference to the elected officer and is prepared or sent in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer.
This bill would define “large-format public advertisement” as a billboard, wrap on a bus or other public transportation vehicle,
advertisement affixed to a bus stop, and other public advertisements designated by the commission by regulation that are 24 inches by 36 inches or more in size. This bill would prohibit a large-format public advertisement from being published or displayed at public expense if, among other things, the advertisement includes the photograph of an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or purchases the large-format public advertisement and is prepared in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer. advertisement. The bill would make an agency and elected official jointly and severally liable for any administrative or civil penalties incurred if the agency prepares a large-format public advertisement that violates the bill’s provisions in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the
elected officer.
A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose 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.
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
2/3 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.
Digest Key
Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 82035.8 is added to the Government Code, to read:82035.8.
“Large-format public advertisement” means any of the following:(a) A billboard.
(b) Wrap on a bus or other public transportation vehicle.
(c) Advertisements affixed to a bus stop or other public infrastructure.
(d) Other public advertisements that are 24 inches by 36 inches or more in size and that are specified by regulation.
SEC. 2.
Section 89001 of the Government Code is amended to read:89001.
(a) A newsletter or other mass mailing shall not be sent at public expense.(b) A An agency shall not publish or display a large-format public advertisement shall not be published or displayed at public expense. expense, as provided in Section 89002.1.
SEC. 3.
Section 89002.1 is added to the Government Code, to read:89002.1.
(a) A large-format public advertisement is prohibited by Section 89001 if both the following criteria are met:(1) The large-format public advertisement includes the photograph of an elected officer affiliated with the agency that produces or purchases the large-format public advertisement, and is prepared in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer. advertisement.
(2) The costs of
distribution of the advertisement are paid for with public money, or the costs of design, production, and printing are paid for with public money, and the design, production, or printing is done with the
intent of publishing or displaying the advertisement. money.
(b) For purposes of this section, “elected officer affiliated with the agency” means an elected officer who is a member, officer, or employee of the agency, or of a subunit thereof such as a committee, or who has supervisory control over the agency or appoints one or more members of the agency.
(c) If an agency prepares a large-format public advertisement in violation of subdivision (a) in cooperation, consultation, coordination, or concert with the elected officer, then the elected officer and the agency shall be jointly and severally liable for any administrative or civil penalties incurred for the
violation.
