Gov. Code, § 84605 · Chapter 4.6. Online Disclosure Act of 1997

Gov. Code, § 84605

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Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)

(a) The following persons shall file online or electronically with the Secretary of State:

(1) Any candidate, including superior court, appellate court, and Supreme Court candidates and officeholders, committee, or other persons who are required, pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100), to file statements, reports, or other documents in connection with a state elective office or state measure, provided that the total cumulative reportable amount of contributions received, expenditures made, loans made, or loans received is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more. In determining the cumulative reportable amount, all controlled committees, as defined by Section 82016, shall be included. For a committee subject to this title prior to January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is January 1, 2000. For a committee that is first subject to this title on or after January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is the date the committee is first subject to this title. A committee, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 82013, shall file online or electronically if it makes contributions of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more in a calendar year.

(2) Any general purpose committees, as defined in Section 82027.5, including the general purpose committees of political parties, and small contributor committees, as defined in Section 85203, that cumulatively receive contributions or make expenditures totaling twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more to support or oppose candidates for any elective state office or state measure. For a committee subject to this title prior to January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is January 1, 2000. For a committee that first is subject to this title on or after January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is the date the committee is first subject to this title.

(3) Any slate mailer organization with cumulative reportable payments received or made for the purposes of producing slate mailers of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more. For a slate mailer organization subject to this title prior to January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is January 1, 2000. For a slate mailer organization that first is subject to this title on or after January 1, 2000, the beginning date for calculating cumulative totals is the date the organization is first subject to this title.

(4) Any lobbyist, lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, or other persons required, pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 86100), to file statements, reports, or other documents, provided that the total amount of any category of reportable payments, expenses, contributions, gifts, or other items is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more in a calendar quarter.

(b) The Secretary of State shall also disclose on the Internet any late contribution or late independent expenditure report, as defined by Sections 84203 and 84204, respectively, not covered by paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) or any other provision of law.

(c) Committees and other persons that are not required to file online or electronically by this section may do so voluntarily.

(d) Once a person or entity is required to file online or electronically, subject to subdivision (a) or (c), the person or entity shall be required to file all subsequent reports online or electronically.

(e) It shall be presumed that online or electronic filers file under penalty of perjury.

(f) Persons filing online or electronically shall also continue to file required disclosure statements and reports in paper format. The paper copy shall continue to be the official filing for audit and other legal purposes until the Secretary of State, pursuant to Section 84606, determines the system is operating securely and effectively.

(g) The Secretary of State shall maintain at all times a secured, official version of all original online and electronically filed statements and reports required by this chapter. Upon determination by the Secretary of State, pursuant to Section 84606, that the system is operating securely and effectively, this online or electronic version shall be the official version for audit and other legal purposes.

(h) Except for statements related to a local elective office or a local ballot measure filed by a candidate for local elective office who is also a candidate for elective state office, a copy of a statement, report, or other document filed by online or electronic means with the Secretary of State shall not be filed with a local filing officer.

Notes and commentary — not statutory text

History

Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 18, Sec. 6. (AB 1181) Effective January 1, 2011. Superseded on operative date of amendment by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662.

Another version listed by the Legislative Counsel

Conditionally operative as prescribed by its own provisions.

(a) The following persons shall file online or electronically with the Secretary of State:

(1) Any candidate, including superior court, appellate court, and Supreme Court candidates and officeholders, committee, or other persons who are required, pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 85100), to file statements, reports, or other documents in connection with a state elective office or state measure.

(2) Any state general purpose committees, as defined in Section 82027.5, including the general purpose committees of political parties, as defined in Section 85205, and small contributor committees, as defined in Section 85203.

(3) Any slate mailer organization that produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in a state election or in more than one county.

(4) Any lobbyist, lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, or other persons required, pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 86100), to file statements, reports, or other documents.

(5) Any elected local government officer or candidate for elective local government office filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 84226.

(b) The Secretary of State shall also disclose on the internet any late contribution or late independent expenditure report, as defined by Sections 84203 and 84204, respectively, not covered by paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) or any other provision of law.

(d) The Secretary of State shall maintain at all times a secured, official version of all original online and electronically filed statements and reports required by this chapter, which shall be the official version for audit and other legal purposes.

(e) Except for statements related to a local elective office or a local ballot measure filed by a candidate for local elective office who is also a candidate for elective state office, and for filings subject to Section 84226, a copy of a statement, report, or other document filed by online or electronic means with the Secretary of State shall not be filed with a local filing officer.

History (another version listed by the Legislative Counsel)

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 25) by Stats. 2022, Ch. 500, Sec. 2. (AB 2528) Effective January 1, 2023. Conditionally operative as prescribed by its own provisions. Conditionally superseded; see amendment by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278.

Another version listed by the Legislative Counsel

Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278.

(a) The following persons shall file online or electronically with the Secretary of State:

(1) Any candidate, including superior court, appellate court, and Supreme Court candidates and officeholders, committee, or other persons who are required, pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 85100), to file statements, reports, or other documents in connection with a state elective office or state measure.

(3) Any slate mailer organization that produces one or more slate mailers supporting or opposing candidates or measures voted on in a state election or in more than one county.

(4) Any lobbyist, lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, or other persons required, pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 86100), to file statements, reports, or other documents.

(5) Any elected local government officer or candidate for elective local government office filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 84226.

(b) The Secretary of State shall also disclose online any late contribution or late independent expenditure report, as defined by Sections 84203 and 84204, respectively, not covered by paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) or any other provision of law.

(f) Once a person or entity is required to file online or electronically, the person or entity shall be required to file all subsequent reports online or electronically.

History (another version listed by the Legislative Counsel)

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 500, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 53. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278.

Source of truth

Edition: As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
Official file: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=84605.
Text hash: sha256 8639857e5c6ac23a68fff305a45bddc814beca3f859df8e53b728d0060424df1
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the Legislative Counsel lists 3 versions of this section; the version shown is the one in force by its history, the other is under "Another version listed by the Legislative Counsel" (conditional)
the Legislative Counsel lists 3 versions of this section; the version shown is the one in force by its history, the other is under "Another version listed by the Legislative Counsel" (conditional)

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