State Officials' Economic Disclosure Forms Available Online
Contact: Jay Wierenga, (916) 322-7761
It's that time of year again! The Statements of Economic Interests (SEI or Form 700) for Legislators, Constitutional officers, and the Insurance Commissioner, which are due by March 1 of each year, are now available on the Commission's website. In addition, the SEIs filed by the Commissioners of the Fair Political Practices Commission are available. Although it is not required by law, the Chair and the Commission determined that it was appropriate to have their information publicly available.
"The Commission understands that information about financial interests must be disclosed in a way that is meaningful," said the Commission's Chair Ann Ravel. "We are working to provide more public information that is easily accessible to the public."
Statements of Economic Interests are an important means for the officials that file them, the media, and the public to help gauge where potential conflicts of interest may exist. The state mandated forms include information about the sources of an official's income, investments, business positions, real property holdings and gifts. Merely reporting an economic interest is not a conflict in itself; a conflict arises when an official makes or participates in making a governmental decision that impacts his or her economic interests.
The annual deadline for most other individuals who are required to file SEIs is April 1 of each year (April 1 falls on a Sunday this year, so the deadline is April 2, 2012). SEIs for County Supervisors and City Council Members will also be posted on the Commission's website as soon as practicable after the April deadline.
Due to privacy and security concerns, the SEIs posted on the Commission's website will have the address, telephone and signature blocks redacted. The forms may be viewed at www.fppc.ca.gov
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