Assembly BillChaptered/SignedGovernment
AB 2592: Lobbyist ethics.
What AB 2592 does, verified September 29, 2026
<p>The bill requires the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to develop, maintain, and offer an orientation course for registered lobbyists starting January 1, 2029. The course will cover relevant ethical issues and laws related to lobbying, as well as each house of the legislature’s policies against harassment, including sexual harassment. The legislative ethics committees must approve the content related to harassment policies. The course will be available online, and the FPPC may charge a fee for it.</p>
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 479, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-27)Alert me
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| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 479, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 10, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6923.). |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 27, 2026 · 2,413 words
Assembly Bill No. 2592
CHAPTER 479
An act to amend Section 86100 of, to amend, repeal, and add Sections 8956 and 86103 of, and to add Sections 86102.5 and 86207 to, the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.
[ Approved by Governor September 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2592, Pacheco. Lobbyist ethics.
Existing law requires the legislative ethics committee of each house of the Legislature to conduct at least semiannually an orientation course on the relevant ethical issues and laws related to lobbying, in consultation with the Fair Political Practices Commission. Existing law requires the committees to impose fees on lobbyists for attending these courses, as specified.
This bill would, commencing on January 1, 2029, require the Fair Political Practices Commission to develop, maintain, and offer an orientation course for registered lobbyists on the relevant ethical issues and laws relating to lobbying, and on each house of the Legislature’s policies against harassment, including sexual harassment, in connection with lobbying activities. The bill would require the course be developed with the legislative ethics committees and give the committees final approval over the content of the course that relates to the Legislature’s polices against harassment. The bill would require the course be available on-demand through an online platform, internet webpage, or application. The bill would authorize the commission to impose a fee on a lobbyist for the course, as specified. The bill would update cross-references.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires individual lobbyists to prepare certifications, as specified, for filing with the Secretary of State. The act also requires lobbying firms and certain lobbyist employers to register with the Secretary of State. A violation of the act is punishable as a misdemeanor, and any person convicted of violating the act is prohibited from acting as a lobbyist for 4 years following the date of conviction, except as specified.
This bill would prohibit a person who has been convicted of a crime of public corruption, as defined, from serving as a lobbyist for 12 years following the date of conviction. The bill would also void an existing lobbying certification in the event of such a conviction. The bill would prohibit the Secretary of State from accepting a lobbying certification from any person unless it includes a statement signed under penalty of perjury that the person has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years. Because these provisions would be part of the Political Reform Act of 1974 and a violation would therefore be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
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 people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 8956 of the Government Code is amended to read:8956.
(a) The appropriate legislative ethics committees shall conduct at least semiannually an orientation course of the relevant statutes and regulations governing official conduct. The curriculum and presentation of the course shall be established by house rules.(b) The committees shall conduct at least semiannually an orientation course on the relevant ethical issues and laws relating to lobbying, in consultation with the Fair Political Practices Commission. The course shall also include information on each house of the Legislature’s policies against harassment, including sexual harassment, in connection with lobbying activities. One of the semiannual courses shall be held prior to June 30 of each year. This course may be combined with the course described in subdivision (a).
(c) At least once in each biennial session, each Member of the Legislature and each designated employee of the Legislature shall attend one of these courses.
(d) The committees shall impose fees on lobbyists for attending the course described in subdivision (b). The fees shall be set at an amount that will enable the lobbyists’ participation in the course to be funded from those fees to the fullest extent possible.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 2.
Section 8956 is added to the Government Code, to read:8956.
(a) The appropriate legislative ethics committees shall conduct at least semiannually an orientation course of the relevant statutes and regulations governing official conduct. The curriculum and presentation of the course shall be established by house rules.(b) At least once in each biennial session, each Member of the Legislature and each designated employee of the Legislature shall attend one of these courses.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2029.
SEC. 3.
Section 86100 of the Government Code is amended to read:86100.
(a) The following persons shall register with the Secretary of State:(1) Lobbying firms.
(2) Lobbyist employers under subdivision (a) of Section 82039.5 who employ one or more in-house lobbyists.
(3) Lobbying coalitions who employ at least one in-house lobbyist.
(b) (1) Each individual lobbyist shall submit a lobbyist certification under Section 86103 for filing with the Secretary of State as part of the registration of the lobbying firm in which the lobbyist is a partner, owner, officer, or employee, or as part of the registration of the lobbyist employer that employs the lobbyist.
(2) The Secretary of State shall not accept a lobbying certification from a person unless the certification includes a statement signed under penalty of perjury that the person has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years, as described in Section 86207.
(c) Lobbyist employers under subdivision (b) of Section 82039.5 who contract only for a lobbying firm’s services, lobbying coalitions who contract for a lobbying firm’s services and do not employ an in-house lobbyist, and persons described in subdivision (b) of Section 86115, are not required to register with the Secretary of State, but shall maintain records and file quarterly reports under this chapter.
(d) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a registration statement shall be filed both by online or electronic means and physically, submitting the original statement in paper format.
(2) Upon certification by the Secretary of State of an online filing and disclosure system pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 84602, a registration statement shall be filed by online or electronic means.
SEC. 4.
Section 86102.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:86102.5.
(a) Commencing January 1, 2029, the commission shall develop, maintain, and offer an orientation course for registered lobbyists on the relevant ethical issues and laws relating to lobbying, and on each house of the legislature’s policies against harassment, including sexual harassment, in connection with lobbying activities. The curriculum of the course shall be developed in consultation with the appropriate legislative ethics committees, and the committees shall have final approval over the content of the course that relates to the legislature’s policies against harassment, including sexual harassment. The course shall be available on-demand through an online platform, internet webpage, or application.(b) The commission may impose a fee of fifty dollars ($50) on a lobbyist for the course described in subdivision (a). The commission shall adjust the fee each odd-numbered year to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index, rounded to the nearest ten dollars ($10).
(c) Unused funds collected by the joint legislative ethics committees from lobbyists for this course pursuant to Section 8956 before January 1, 2029, shall be transferred to the commission for the purpose of developing the course.
SEC. 5.
Section 86103 of the Government Code, as amended by Section 179 of Chapter 50 of the Statutes of 2021, is amended to read:86103.
A lobbyist certification shall include all of the following:(a) A recent photograph of the lobbyist, in a size prescribed by the Secretary of State.
(b) The lobbyist’s full name, business address, email address, and telephone number.
(c) A statement that the lobbyist has read and understands the prohibitions contained in Sections 86203 and 86205.
(d) A statement regarding the lobbyist’s completion of the ethics course described in subdivision (b) of Section 8956 as follows:
(1) For a lobbyist who filed a completed lobbyist certification in connection with the last regular session of the Legislature, either of the following statements:
(A) That the lobbyist has completed the ethics course within the previous 12 months.
(B) That the lobbyist will complete the ethics course no later than June 30 of the following year, in which case the certification shall be accepted on a conditional basis.
(2) In the case of a new lobbyist certification, if the lobbyist has not completed the course within the previous 12 months, the lobbyist certification shall include a statement that the lobbyist will complete the course within 12 months. The lobbyist certification shall be accepted on a conditional basis.
(3) If a lobbyist certification is accepted on a conditional basis, the lobbyist shall timely complete the ethics course and file a new lobbyist certification to replace the conditional lobbyist certification. If the lobbyist fails to timely complete the ethics course, the conditional lobbyist certification shall be void and the individual shall not act as a lobbyist under this title until the individual completes the course and files a lobbyist certification stating the date of completion. It is a violation of this section for any individual to act as a lobbyist under this title once that individual’s conditional certification is void.
(4) The date and confirmation that an individual has completed the ethics course may be transmitted to the Secretary of State by the legislative ethics committee.
(e) A statement that the lobbyist has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years, as described in Section 86207.
(f) Any other information required by the commission consistent with the purposes and provisions of this chapter.
(g) Registration fees required by Section 86102 shall be paid online at the time a lobbyist certification is submitted for registration to be active.
(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 6.
Section 86103 is added to the Government Code, to read:86103.
A lobbyist certification shall include all of the following:(a) A recent photograph of the lobbyist, in a size prescribed by the Secretary of State.
(b) The lobbyist’s full name, business address, email address, and telephone number.
(c) A statement that the lobbyist has read and understands the prohibitions contained in Sections 86203 and 86205.
(d) A statement regarding the lobbyist’s completion of the ethics course described in subdivision (a) of Section 86102.5 as follows:
(1) For a lobbyist who filed a completed lobbyist certification in connection with the last regular session of the Legislature, either of the following statements:
(A) That the lobbyist has completed the ethics course within the previous 12 months.
(B) That the lobbyist will complete the ethics course no later than June 30 of the following year, in which case the certification shall be accepted on a conditional basis.
(2) In the case of a new lobbyist certification, if the lobbyist has not completed the course within the previous 12 months, the lobbyist certification shall include a statement that the lobbyist will complete the course within 12 months. The lobbyist certification shall be accepted on a conditional basis.
(3) If a lobbyist certification is accepted on a conditional basis, the lobbyist shall timely complete the ethics course and file a new lobbyist certification to replace the conditional lobbyist certification. If the lobbyist fails to timely complete the ethics course, the conditional lobbyist certification shall be void and the individual shall not act as a lobbyist under this title until the individual completes the course and files a lobbyist certification stating the date of completion. It is a violation of this section for any individual to act as a lobbyist under this title once that individual’s conditional certification is void.
(4) The date and confirmation that an individual has completed the ethics course may be transmitted to the Secretary of State by the legislative ethics committee.
(e) A statement that the lobbyist has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years, as described in Section 86207.
(f) Any other information required by the commission consistent with the purposes and provisions of this chapter.
(g) Registration fees required by Section 86102 shall be paid online at the time a lobbyist certification is submitted for registration to be active.
(h) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2029.
SEC. 7.
Section 86207 is added to the Government Code, to read:86207.
(a) (1) A person who is convicted of a crime of public corruption shall not act as a lobbyist pursuant to this title for 12 years following the date of the conviction.(2) If a person convicted of a crime of public corruption is already a registered lobbyist, the certification pursuant to this chapter shall be void upon the person’s conviction.
(b) (1) For purposes of this chapter, “convicted of a crime of public corruption” means convicted of a crime described in Section 20 of the Elections Code.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 20 of the Elections Code, subdivision (a) applies to a person who is pardoned for a conviction of a crime of public corruption.
SEC. 8.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.SEC. 9.
The Legislature finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 within the meaning of subdivision (a) of Section 81012 of the Government Code.Text of AB 2592 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions