About FPPC

The Fair Political Practices Commission is a five-member independent, non-partisan commission that has primary responsibility for the impartial and effective administration of the Political Reform Act. The Act regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics. 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.

History of the FPPC

The Act and the FPPC were created in 1974 when California voters approved Proposition 9. In the wake of the Watergate scandal, Californians wanted to reign in the potential corruptive influence of special interests by creating an agency to enforce the most rigorous restrictions on fundraising and lobbying in the country. And since the adoption of the Act, the Commission has been responsible for shining light on some of the most egregious violations of campaign and governmental ethics. 

The FPPC Today

Looking forward, there are several goals the Commission is promoting to help foster the public’s trust in our political system. Foremost, we will continue to diligently prosecute serious violations of the law, ensuring that officials operate in a way that does not betray the public’s confidence. Second, the Commission will increase transparency by utilizing technology to provide “smart disclosure,” giving more people easy access to vital information about their public officials and campaign financing. Finally, we will concentrate on adopting meaningful reforms while maintaining the highest ethical standards. Our objective is to streamline the rules to reduce redundancy, eliminate loopholes and improve accountability with more timely and accurate disclosures. Throughout its 40-year history the Commission has stood out as a national leader in regulating governmental ethics and we are committed to continuing that legacy.

In the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, California was the first state to pass a comprehensive political reform package. Proposition 9, known today as The Political Reform Act, was passed as a ballot measure by California voters in the June 1974 election. The initiative was championed by a tripartite group consisting of then-Secretary of State Jerry Brown, the People’s Lobby, and Common Cause. By including provisions regulating campaign finance, lobbying activity and conflicts of interest, Proposition 9 represented the most significant state-level response to the culture of corruption that was believed to be so pervasive in the pre-Watergate years.

The FPPC is composed of five members appointed for staggered four year terms. The Chair and another member from a different political party are appointed by the Governor. Other members are appointed by the State Controller, Secretary of State and the Attorney General. No more than three Commissioners may be from the same political party. The Chair is the only salaried, full-time member of the Commission and together with the Executive Director oversees the routine business of the Commission and its staff, subject to the overall direction of the Commission. The Chair acts for the Commission between meetings and provides policy priorities to the staff.

Every year the FPPC publishes a detailed report that highlights major cases, important statistics and other noteworthy events from throughout the year. The report provides readers with a great snapshot of how the Commission functions and what its priorities are in any given year.  Click on one of the reports below to see it in full.

Our Mission

The mission of the Fair Political Practices Commission is to promote the integrity of state and local government in California through fair, impartial interpretation and enforcement of political campaign, lobbying and conflict of interest laws.