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Editor's Notes

• #2: Earlier this year, thousands of activists gathered in Washington D.C. for Democracy Awakening to demand that our representatives do something about the flood of money into our political process. That was just the beginning in the fight to take back our democracy, and our democracy dog here agrees that we’ve got to do something. Fortunately, here in California, there are efforts underway to put the people back in we the people. I’m going to tell you about some of these legislative and electoral efforts and tell you at the end of this presentation how you can help.
• #3: First up, the Overturn Citizens United Act, or SB 254, which just qualified for the November ballot. As some of you or all of you know, the Overturn Citizens United Act was formerly Prop. 49, which the CA supreme court took off the ballot in 2014, but in January, the court ruled that Prop. 49 is legal. However, the court required the legislature to pass a new bill, SB 254, to get a replacement for Prop. 49 onto the ballot. This month, thanks to CCC members across the state calling their representatives and Gov. Brown, the governor let SB 254 become law. The only difference between Prop. 49 and SB 254 is that now the measure will have the stronger language of voter instruction, rather than advisory question. We’re waiting for a ballot measure number and we’re hoping it will still be Prop. 49.
• #4: And Kitty here like all of us, really really wants Citizens United overturned! In the meantime, we all know that getting a constitutional amendment passed is a long and difficult process. However there are several reforms moving through the legislative and initiative process that right now will go a long way toward curbing the damaging effects of money in politics.
• #5: First, SB 1107. This bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Ben Allen and Loni Hancock and would overturn the statewide ban on voluntary public financing systems. The ban went into effect under a provision in Prop. 73 which voters passed in 1988. That provision prohibited general law cities, counties, districts and the state from enacting voluntary public financing. Only charter cities like Los Angeles and Long Beach are currently allowed to have public financing. Goal of SB 1107 is to place a measure on November ballot. Any questions?
• #6: Ok. So who here knows what Cal-Access is? Who here has used Cal-Access? As it is now, Cal-Access is clunky and outdated like this ‘90s brick cell phone our pooch here is using. There’s a bill aimed at revamping the system.
• #7: SB 1349, sponsored by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, and championed by Secretary of State Alex Padilla, would modernize Cal-Access, turning our ’90s cell phone to a 2016 smart phone. This is currently what Cal-Access looks like (click on link). SB 1349 would create a data-driven system, integrating city, county and state level contribution data. And it’s estimated the project will cost up to $13.5 million. SB 1349 has broad support from good government groups like California Common Cause, to business, labor and social justice groups. (ask for questions)
• #8: So this is what we want Cal-Access to be like. Modern and more user friendly.
• #9: Next is AB 700, the California Disclose Act, sponsored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez. The Disclose Act would change current law to require supporters of ballot measures to list the top three funders on radio, TV and print ads and robocalls. So, say a ballot measure is sponsored by say Californians for Clean Air and it’s really bankrolled by a coalition of oil & gas interests that measure would have to clearly and prominently show the top 3 funders. So on the ad, you would see Chevron, Shell, BP for example. We want to shine a light, discouraging special interests from hiding behind misleading names. (click next slide)
• #10: This cat’s trying to hide, but with the Disclose Act, we’ll see her now! The lead organization on AB 700 is our coalition partner, CA Clean Money.
• #11: Finally, we have another ballot measure for November, the CA Legislative Transparency Act. This effort has broad support from groups like California Common Cause, CA Forward, business groups, Democrats and Republicans. The act would require 72-hour public notice for all bills before a final vote in the Legislature. And all meetings in the legislature must be recorded and made available to the public online. This measure has submitted the required signatures and they are still being counted to qualify for the November ballot. (ask for questions)
• #12: So how can you take action on these reforms?
• #13: Click for each bullet point - Folks can sign SB 1349 petition on my laptop - Vote this November for the Overturn Citizens United Act
• #14: Any final questions? I’ve provided fliers about some of these bills on the table, please pick them up if you haven’t already. Thank you.