The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) of California is a five-member independent nonpartisan commission that has primary responsibility for the impartial and effective administration of the Political Reform Act of 1974. The commission's objectives are to ensure that public officials act in a fair and unbiased manner in the governmental decision-making process, to promote transparency in government, and to foster public trust in the political system.
The commission is similar to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in its campaign finance responsibilities. It differs from the FEC in its authority in lobbying and conflicts of interest.
It was created by California Proposition 9 in the June 1974 elections, known as the Political Reform Act of 1974, regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics.
Campaign finance and lobbying disclosure data filed with the Secretary of State under the Political Reform Act is published on the California Automated Lobbying and Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Search System (CAL-ACCESS), a publicly accessible online database maintained by the California Secretary of State. CAL-ACCESS contains records dating to the early 2000s, including contributions received, expenditures made, and lobbying activity disclosures.
The FPPC defines filing requirements and form specifications, while the Secretary of State's office manages the technical infrastructure for receiving, storing, and publishing electronic filings. California requires approximately 35 distinct filing form types for campaign finance and lobbying disclosure, grouped into registration statements, periodic disclosure statements, 24-hour reports of large contributions and expenditures near elections, amendments, termination statements, and special filings including lobbying reports.
Bulk data downloads of the full CAL-ACCESS database are available through the Secretary of State's campaign finance data page.