Published
LOS ANGELES - Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 1286, a new law that requires California elected officials and state appointees to publicly disclose new job offers they accept while still holding office.
What we know:
The measure, which passed the legislature unanimously, mandates that officials detail the employer's name, position, and business description on conflict of interest forms to increase transparency and combat potential conflicts where officials might vote on matters benefiting a future employer.
The bill, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Tasha Boerner of Solana Beach, aims to address conflicts of interest by compelling California's elected officials and state appointees to include details about accepted future employment on their mandatory conflict of interest forms before their current terms end.
The backstory:
Assemblymember Boerner introduced AB 1286 following a CalMatters story last year that revealed lawmakers were not required to disclose if they were negotiating or had accepted a job with an organization seeking legislative action.
This situation became particularly relevant as roughly a quarter of the legislature was leaving office, with some members casting votes that could potentially benefit their future employers.
The report noted that since 2012, approximately 40 of the 180 departing lawmakers later registered as lobbyists, worked as political consultants, or took executive jobs with companies actively lobbying at the Capitol.
Shery Yang, a spokesperson for the FPPC, stated that Chairperson Adam Silver proposed the bill idea to Boerner's office after reading the CalMatters article.
What they're saying:
Assemblymember Boerner emphasized the importance of the new law in restoring public faith:
"People’s distrust of the government is growing... As public servants, one of the most important parts of our job is transparency. It is the one-way ticket to building confidence between government officials and their communities."
FPPC Chairperson Adam Silver framed the measure as essential for accountability:
"This reform is about something bigger than disclosure forms — it is about trust... It guarantees that Californians know their government is working for them, not for private interests. And more practically, it ensures that the FPPC has the information necessary to timely and effectively identify and prosecute violations of the state’s ban on influencing prospective employment."
Big picture view:
The measure tackles a gap in ethics guidelines. While it is illegal to accept a bribe (casting votes in exchange for future employment) or use state resources for job searching, state ethics rules currently allow lawmakers to vote on bills that benefit a "significant segment" of an industry even if they have a job offer pending from a company within that industry.
Government ethics experts believe the added disclosure will provide needed transparency and help ensure honesty from both lawmakers and lobbyists. Lawmakers are currently required to recuse themselves from actions with a "direct and significant" financial impact on an entity that has offered them employment.
The Source: This report is built upon the legislative facts of Assembly Bill 1286 (AB 1286) being signed by Governor Newsom and draws key context from a CalMatters investigative report that initially highlighted the ethics gap. Direct quotes and policy rationale are provided by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner and FPPC Chairperson Adam Silver, whose statements confirm the bill's purpose and impact.
