The Overview

If you work as a registered lobbyist in California and get convicted of a public corruption crime, you are now barred from lobbying for 12 years and your existing certification is immediately voided. California's lobbyist ethics bill, Assembly Bill 2592, became law when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it Sept. 27. ​

Sacramento lobbyist Greg Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in December 2025 in a federal investigation involving political operatives, the Los Angeles Times reported.

What the Law Does

Every lobbyist must now include a signed statement under penalty of perjury with their certification to the Secretary of State, affirming no public corruption conviction in the previous 12 years; the Secretary of State must reject any certification that omits it. The Political Reform Act of 1974 previously barred lobbyists convicted of violating that act from lobbying for four years.

Starting January 1, 2029, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) must develop and offer an on-demand online orientation course on lobbying ethics and each house's harassment policies, may charge lobbyists a fee for it, and the legislative ethics committees will have final approval over the harassment-policy content.

Legislative Status

Asm. Blanca Pacheco (D-CA-64) is the lead author of the bill, with Addis and Kalra as cosponsors.

No lawmaker voted no in any recorded vote: the Assembly Elections Committee approved the bill 8-0 on April 15, the Assembly Appropriations Committee passed it 15-0 on May 14, the full Assembly passed it 78-0 on May 26, the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee passed it 5-0 on June 16, and the Senate Appropriations Committee placed it on its suspense file 7-0 on June 29; the Senate then passed it 40-0 on Aug. 30, and the Assembly concurred in the Senate's amendments 78-0 the same day.

Gov. Newsom's office included the bill in a Sept. 27 announcement of bills signed to address corruption, labeling it "Lobbyist ethics."

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