SB 658: Nominations: tax return disclosures: candidates for Governor.

Existing law prohibits the name of a candidate for Governor from being printed on the ballot of the direct primary election unless the candidate, at least 88 days before the direct primary election, files with the Secretary of State 2 copies of every income tax return, as defined, the candidate filed with the Internal Revenue Service in the 5 most recent taxable years. Existing law requires the candidate to redact specified information from one copy of each submitted return, and authorizes the candidate to redact additional information as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, within 5 days of receipt, to make the redacted versions of the candidates tax returns available to the public on the Secretary of States internet website, and to continuously post the returns until the official canvass for the direct primary election is completed. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to retain the paper copies of the submitted tax returns until the completion of the official canvass of the ensuing general election.

This bill would extend these requirements to general elections and recall elections in addition to direct primary elections. The bill would require and authorize redaction of additional information on the returns, as specified. The bill would require the Secretary of State to make the redacted copies of the tax returns public at the time the Secretary of State issues the certified list of candidates for the election. The bill would require the Secretary of State to continuously post the tax returns until the official canvass is completed for the election at which a candidate is elected to the office, except that the tax returns of a candidate who was not nominated to participate in the general election need only be posted until the official canvass for the direct primary election is completed. The bill would require the Secretary of State to retain paper copies of the submitted tax returns until the completion of the official canvass of the election at which a candidate is elected to the office. The bill would exclude transcripts from the Internal Revenue Service and accountant notes from the definition of income tax return for these purposes.