Committee advances bill letting FPPC extend Form 700 deadlines during declared emergencies

Senator Allen presented SB 401 (author: Senator Hurtado), saying the bill would allow the Fair Political Practices Commission to extend filing deadlines for statements of economic interest (Form 700) during declared emergencies so that filers displaced or otherwise hindered by disasters would not face late-filing penalties. "These are the form 700s that promote transparency and public accountability," Allen said, and he described past disruptions from COVID-19 and the recent Eaton and Palisades fires as examples of circumstances that made timely filing difficult for affected filers.

Lindsay McConnell, senior legislative counsel for the FPPC, said the commission did not have a position at the hearing but that, as drafted, SB 401 would give the FPPC discretion to set an extension period depending on the severity of the emergency. "Case by case, as the language reads today, there is no set deadline or limit," McConnell said.

Committee members pressed the author and FPPC counsel on whether the bill should include a maximum extension or clearer criteria for setting extension durations. Members suggested possible guardrails, such as tying the extension to the declared emergency period or establishing a default cap (for example, 30 days) to avoid indefinite extensions. Senator Allen and other supporters said they would work with the author and the FPPC to define reasonable limits and ensure the bill preserves enforcement integrity while being fair to affected filers.

Senator Udoso moved the bill, and the committee voted to pass SB 401 to the Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement. The transcript shows the measure ultimately recorded as moving out unanimously after additional members arrived; committee members indicated they expected to return with technical fix language limiting extensions.