§ 85320. — 85320. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 170, Sec. 2.)

California § 85320.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code GOV: Government Code - GOV
• Title 9.: TITLE 9. POLITICAL REFORM
• Ch. 5.: CHAPTER 5. Limitations on Contributions
• Art. 3.: ARTICLE 3. Contribution Limitations

Text

(a)
A foreign government, foreign principal, or foreign national shall not make, directly or through any other person, a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in connection with the qualification or support of, or opposition to, any state or local ballot measure or in connection with the election of a candidate to state or local office.
(b)
A person or a committee shall not solicit or accept a contribution from a foreign government, foreign
principal, or foreign national in connection with the qualification or support of, or opposition to, any state or local ballot measure or in connection with the election of a candidate to state or local office.
(c)
For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1)
(A)
“Foreign national” means a person who is not a citizen of the United States and who is not a lawfully admitted permanent resident.
(B)
“Foreign national” does not include a person who has been granted deferred action, and whose deferred action has not expired, under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, as described in guidelines issued by the United
States Department of Homeland Security.
(2)
“Foreign principal” includes any of the following:
(A)
A foreign political party.
(B)
A person outside the United States, unless either of the following is established:
(i)
The person is an individual and a citizen of the United States.
(ii)
The person is not an individual and is organized under or created by the laws of the United States or of any state or other place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and has its principal place of business within the United States.
(C)
A
partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country.
(D)
A domestic subsidiary of a foreign corporation if the decision to contribute or expend funds is made by an officer, director, or management employee of the foreign corporation who is neither a citizen of the United States nor a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States.
(d)
This section shall not prohibit a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure made by a lawfully admitted permanent resident.
(e)
Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined an amount equal to the amount contributed
or expended.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 170, Sec. 2. (AB 953) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: Stats. 2000, Ch. 102, Sec. 83 (as amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 241) makes most provisions of Article 3 inapplicable to candidates for statewide elective office until November 6, 2002.