STATE CAPITOL – Senate Bill 1686, authored by Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced), passed the Senate yesterday during a 34 to 0 Floor vote.
SB 1686, co-authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-East Los Angeles), proposes that if a person, company or organization directs or knows that a petition gatherer signs a false affidavit, (primarily about their residence), then that person could be punishable by fine up to $5,000 or imprisonment in county jail for up to one year.
"The big fish that bankroll illegal signature gathering should not be able to get away by blaming the little fish who do their bidding," said Senator Denham.
It has now become common practice by some groups to get their signatures through petition gatherers who don´t live in the state or the district where they are collecting signatures.
"Currently, the law is written so that only the petition gatherers themselves can be fined or imprisoned," said Senator Denham. "The law should apply from the top down."
SB 1686 now moves to the Assembly Rules Committee for its next committee assignment.
SB 1686, co-authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-East Los Angeles), proposes that if a person, company or organization directs or knows that a petition gatherer signs a false affidavit, (primarily about their residence), then that person could be punishable by fine up to $5,000 or imprisonment in county jail for up to one year.
"The big fish that bankroll illegal signature gathering should not be able to get away by blaming the little fish who do their bidding," said Senator Denham.
It has now become common practice by some groups to get their signatures through petition gatherers who don´t live in the state or the district where they are collecting signatures.
"Currently, the law is written so that only the petition gatherers themselves can be fined or imprisoned," said Senator Denham. "The law should apply from the top down."
SB 1686 now moves to the Assembly Rules Committee for its next committee assignment.
