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Bill would modernize campaign- and lobby-reporting law to align with a new electronic filing system (CARS)
Summary
AB 808 updates the Political Reform Act and related filing rules to support the Secretary of State and FPPC transition from a 25-year-old CalAccess system to a new California Automated Reporting System (CARS). The bill removes form-based and paper-based language, clarifies where filings will be submitted, and standardizes verification of certain
Assemblymember Addis presented AB 808 to modernize campaign finance and lobbying reporting statutes so they align with the Secretary of State—s planned California Automated Reporting System (CARS) replacement for Cal Access. The sponsors (the Secretary of State and the Fair Political Practices Commission) described the bill as a largely technical update that removes outdated form-based and paper-based filing terminology, clarifies definitions and filing procedures, and ensures independent-expenditure verification requirements apply consistently across filing types.
Tim Cromartie (representing the Secretary of State) and Lindsay Nakano (senior legislative counsel at the FPPC) testified as cosponsors. They said changes would only take effect after certification of CARS and that the bill is intended to improve public access to timely, machine-readable campaign-finance and lobbying data while smoothing the transition for filers and regulators.
No witnesses testified in opposition. The committee advanced the bill toward appropriations; the recorded committee text shows the bill passed committee on a unanimous recorded vote.
Votes at a glance: Motion to pass to Appropriations; committee result recorded as yes 5, no 0.
Ending: Sponsors said the measure is a necessary technical update for the planned electronic filing platform and pledged continued stakeholder coordination during implementation.
