Editor’s note: Sacramento Snapshot is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County’s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on — from committee work to bill passages and more.
Maybe you’ve scrolled through your Facebook feed during an election season and stumbled upon an influencer’s post encouraging you to get out the vote for a certain candidate. Or you’re on TikTok and the algorithm let through a celebrity’s snappy video advocating for a specific campaign.
Just like #sponsoredposts for products, oftentimes these influencers are paid to promote a candidate or ballot measure.
When it comes to elections, financial disclaimers are required for online advertisements posted by a campaign committee — but that does not extend to a third-party person, like an influencer.
The California Legislature moved to change that last week as the Senate approved legislation from Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, to ensure influencers disclose these payments. The effort, according to Umberg, is to ensure transparency in California elections.
“It seems only fair if you’re using your credibility, your platform … to influence an election,” that you should have to disclose how much you’re being paid to do so, Umberg said, comparing it to when candidates buy television ads. “It’s fair that everybody knows they’re getting paid to do that.”
The bill would only regulate financial disclosures for elections, not content for products.
It passed in a 38-0 vote with only two senators not voting. It’s backed by the Fair Political Practices Commission and the League of Women Voters of California.
Recall elections
An effort from Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, to tighten California’s recall process — by asking voters if the process should include a vote on a successor — got the green light from a Senate committee last week.
When an elected official faces a recall, voters are faced with two questions: Should that officeholder be removed and who should be the successor? If the majority vote on the first question is to recall, then the candidate who receives a plurality vote on the second is elected the successor.
Newman’s constitutional amendment, which passed out of the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee last week, would allow voters to decide whether a successor should be chosen during a recall vote or if that vacancy should be filled in whatever way it would have the official resigned or left office outside of a recall.
The idea, Newman said, is to cut back on the “circus” that can result when dozens and dozens of candidates are vying to be the replacement. In the 2021 recall effort of Gov. Gavin Newsom, 46 replacements were offered.
After a series of informational hearings, this constitutional amendment was created, Newman said, to “restore the recall to its original intended purpose of being a check if you have had an elected official who betrayed the public trust or (there) was malfeasance.”
“The unfortunate reality is that our recall system in its current form incentivizes political opportunism and gamesmanship when it comes to recall elections,” said Newman.
The Democratic lawmaker was successfully recalled in 2018 after voting to raise the gas tax to help pay for future transportation projects and road improvements but won his seat back in 2020. He’s pitched bills to tighten the recall process in years past as well.
This constitutional amendment, supported by the secretary of state, requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers in order for it to be posed to voters in 2024.
“The short turnaround time for recall elections does not allow sufficient time for voters to both consider the recall question and vet a replacement out of an enormous field of candidates,” said Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “If voters decide to recall an elected official, this legislation will give voters more time to make an informed decision about their choice of a replacement.”
It also has support from the League of Women Voters of California but is opposed by the Election Integrity Project California, a group that bills itself as a nonpartisan watchdog but has ties to conservative groups. The Election Integrity Project California argued allowing a lieutenant governor to replace a recalled governor, for example, “would make a gubernatorial recall effort a ‘frying pan vs the fire’ situation.”
In other news
• Republicans continued efforts last week to bring certain fentanyl-related legislation up for a vote. In the Assembly, GOP legislators attempted to force a floor vote on a few bills, including one from Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, that would strengthen penalties for trafficking fentanyl through social media. That bill was one of a few that did receive a special hearing in April, but it was ultimately tabled.
Today is #FentanylAwarenessDay it is the most lethal drug being circulated in the illegal drug market. Let’s commit ourselves to be informed about the dangers of this deadly drug and help save lives. #OnePillCanKill pic.twitter.com/J0JhxwiH3D
— Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (@AsmCottie) May 10, 2023
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• The Senate passed legislation from Sen. Catherine Blakespear, who represents part of southern Orange County, that requires gun sellers to post warnings about the risk of suicide and death or injury from domestic violence disputes when a gun is present in a home. The signage also includes the national suicide prevention hotline (1-800-273-8255). The bill passed 32-4.
• Ahead of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s unveiling of his revised budget proposal on Friday, the Big City Mayors Coalition, California State Association of Counties, and League of California Cities implored the governor and legislative leaders to ensure ongoing funding for homelessness programs is a priority. Michelle Murphy of the Orange County United Way also signed the letter which said “ongoing funding for homelessness would be transformative” and could “establish a baseline that local homeless response systems could rely on to build capacity, support the frontline workforce of people providing services and dedicate funding to a more comprehensive response.”
Source: Orange County Register
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