Behested payments: reporting.

Assembly Member Fong's proposed modifications to California's behested payment reporting requirements would alter how elected officials and Public Utilities Commission members document charitable and governmental payments made at their request. The legislation adjusts reporting timelines from the current 30-day post-payment deadline to quarterly reporting periods, while maintaining the initial $5,000 threshold for aggregate payments from a single source.

The bill introduces additional disclosure requirements for payments involving nonprofit organizations. Officials would need to report any decision-making roles, employment relationships, founding member status, or advisory positions that they, their family members, or staff hold with recipient nonprofits. The legislation also requires documentation of any proceedings before the official's agency involving the payment source, either at the time of payment or within the previous 12 months.

Under the proposed changes, after meeting the initial $5,000 reporting threshold, subsequent payments from the same source would require reporting when they reach $1,000 in aggregate during the calendar year. The bill establishes an electronic filing system for these reports, though local elected officials may file directly with their jurisdiction if reports are posted online within 10 days. Officials unable to obtain exact payment details may submit good faith estimates, provided they document their attempts to acquire accurate information and file amended reports within 10 days of receiving precise figures.