Sacramento Municipal Code Art. III Contribution Limitations

A. Councilmembers. Contributions to candidates for the office of city councilmember are subject to the following limitations in addition to any limitations established by the Political Reform Act:

1. Contributions by Persons. No person shall make, and no candidate for the office of city councilmember, controlled committee of the candidate, or person acting by or on behalf of the candidate or the candidate's controlled committee shall accept, any contribution that would cause the total amount contributed by that person to the candidate, or to the candidate's controlled committee, to exceed $2,200 in any of the following periods: a primary election period; a general election period; or a special election period. If the Political Reform Act establishes a lower limit for special elections, the lower limit applies.

2. Contributions by Large Political Committees. No large political committee shall make, and no candidate for the office of city council member, controlled committee of the candidate, or person acting by or on behalf of the candidate or the candidate's controlled committee shall accept, any contribution that would cause the total amount contributed by that large political committee to the candidate, or to the candidate's controlled committee, to exceed $7,300 in any of the following periods: a primary election period; a general election period; or a special election period. If the Political Reform Act establishes a lower limit for special elections, the lower limit applies.

B. Mayor. Contributions to candidates for the office of mayor shall be subject to the following limitations in addition to any limitations established by the Political Reform Act:

1. Contributions by Persons. No person shall make, and no candidate for the office of mayor, controlled committee of the candidate, or person acting by or on behalf of the candidate or the candidate's controlled committee, shall accept into the candidate's campaign contribution account, any contribution that would cause the total amount contributed by that person to the candidate, or to the candidate's controlled committee to exceed $4,350 in any of the following periods: a primary election period; a general election period; or a special election period. If the Political Reform Act establishes a lower limit for special elections, the lower limit applies.

2. Contributions by Large Political Committees. No large political committee shall make, and no candidate for the office of mayor, controlled committee of the candidate, or person acting by or on behalf of the candidate or the candidate's controlled committee shall accept, any contribution which would cause the total amount contributed by that large political committee to the candidate, or to the candidate's controlled committee, to exceed $14,550 in any of the following periods: a primary election period; a general election period; or a special election period. If the Political Reform Act establishes a lower limit for special elections, the lower limit applies.

C. Contributions by a Candidate to the Candidate's Campaign. Nothing in subsections A and B of this section is intended to limit the amount that a candidate may contribute to his or her own campaign from his or her personal funds.

D. Contributions to Committees. No person shall make to any committee which contributes to any candidate for city elective office or makes expenditures for or against any candidate for city elective office, and no such committee shall accept from any person a contribution or contributions totaling more than nine hundred dollars ($900.00) in a calendar year; and no large political committee shall make to any committee which contributes to any candidate for city elective office or makes expenditures for or against any candidate for city elective office, and no such committee shall accept from any large political committee a contribution or contributions totaling more than three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500.00) in a calendar year. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to contributions to candidates and candidate-controlled committees, which shall be subject to the limits set forth in subsections A and B of this section.

Exception. A committee may solicit and accept contributions in excess of the limits established by subsection D if the committee makes expenditures for any lawful purpose other than supporting or opposing candidates for city elective office, provided that:

1. Funds received from contributions in excess of the limits set forth in subsection D are used only for lawful purposes other than supporting or opposing candidates for city elective office or making contributions to candidates for city elective office; and

2. The committee shall establish a separate bank account to be used for making expenditures to support or oppose candidates for city elective office or for making contributions to candidates for city elective office. All expenditures to support or oppose candidates for city elective office and all contributions made by the committee to candidates for city elective office must be made with funds from this account. A committee may not deposit into this account any contributions that were solicited or accepted in excess of the limitations established by subsection 1 above.

E. Making and Acceptance of Contributions, Timing of Contributions and Contributions to Officeholders in Off-Election Years.

1. Making and Acceptance of Contributions. For purposes of this chapter, a contribution shall have been considered to have been "made" and "accepted" as follows:

a. Monetary Contributions.

i. Making of Monetary Contributions. For purposes of the contribution limitations of this chapter, a monetary contribution is made on the date the contribution is mailed, delivered, or otherwise transmitted to the candidate or a controlled committee. The date of the check or other negotiable instrument by which the contribution is made may be presumed by the candidate or controlled committee to be the date on which the contribution was mailed, delivered or otherwise transmitted, unless it is known to the candidate to be later than the date the contribution is mailed, delivered or otherwise transmitted, in which case the earlier date shall be considered the date on which the contribution is made.

ii. Acceptance of Monetary Contributions. For purposes of the contribution limits of this chapter, a monetary contribution shall be deemed "accepted" on the date that it is made; provided that a monetary contribution shall not be considered accepted for purposes of this chapter if it is not cashed, negotiated or deposited, and, in addition, is returned to the donor within fourteen (14) days of receipt.

b. Nonmonetary Contributions.

i. Making of Nonmonetary Contributions. A nonmonetary contribution is made by the contributor on the earlier of the following dates: (A) the date that funds are expended by the contributor for goods or services if the specific expenditure is made at the request of the candidate or controlled committee; (B) the date that the candidate or controlled committee or agent of the candidate or controlled committee obtains possession or control of the goods or services; or (C) the date that the candidate or controlled committee otherwise receives the benefit of the expenditure.

ii. Acceptance of Nonmonetary Contributions. A nonmonetary contribution is deemed accepted on the date that it is made by the contributor; provided that a nonmonetary contribution shall be deemed not to have been accepted for purposes of this chapter if it is returned within fourteen (14) days of having been made by returning to the contributor any of the following: (A) the nonmonetary contribution; (B) its monetary equivalent; or (C) the monetary amount by which the value of the nonmonetary contribution exceeds the contribution limits of this chapter.

2. Timing of Contributions. For purposes of this chapter, a contribution shall be deemed to be a contribution during a general election period only if it is made by the contributor on or after the first day of the month immediately following the month in which the primary election is held.

3. Contributions Made in Off-Election Years.

a. Contributions made to candidates for city elective office during an off-election year shall be attributed to, and shall be considered to have been made during, the primary election period, general election period or special election period for purposes of the contribution limits established by subsections A and B of this section.2.13.050

i. Contributions to Officeholders in Off-election Years. Contributions to an incumbent mayor or an incumbent member of the city council made in an off-election year shall be considered contributions for the election in which the incumbent acquired his or her office, unless the contributions are accepted and deposited into a new campaign contribution account for a future election to the same or different office.

ii. Contributions to Nonincumbent Candidates in Off-election Years. Contributions made during an off-election year to a nonincumbent candidate for a future city elective office for which a primary or special election will be held shall be considered contributions made during the primary or special election period unless the contributions are accepted and deposited into a campaign contribution account established for a prior election or an election for a different office.

F. Subsection D of this section relating to contributions to committees shall be of no further force and effect until further legislative action is taken by the city council by ordinance. (Ord. 2025-0009 § 1; Ord. 2023-0006 § 1; Ord. 2021-0007 § 2; Ord. 2019-0004 § 2; Ord. 2017-0027 § 3; Ord. 2015-0009 §§ 1, 2; Ord. 2013-0005 §§ 2-4; Ord. 2012-021 § 3; Ord. 2011-19 §§ 1, 2; Ord. 2009-020 § 1; Ord. 2007-098 § 2; Ord. 2007-015 §§ 1-3; Ord. 2005-072 § 2; Ord. 2003-010 § 1; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

The first time in every election cycle that a large political committee makes a contribution to a candidate in an amount that itself or in combination with other contributions previously made to the candidate exceeds the amount that a person may contribute to a candidate pursuant to sections 2.13.050(A)(1) and 2.13.050(B)(1), the large political committee shall file with the city clerk, prior to making the contribution, the following documents:

1. Statement of organization large political committee; and

2. A copy of the large political committee's most recent statement of organization recipient committee (California Form 410) filed pursuant to the Act and the Regulations. (Ord. 2025-0037 § 1; Ord. 2005-072 § 3; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

For the purposes of the contribution limitations contained in this chapter, contributions of two or more persons or entities shall be aggregated as follows:

A. All payments made by a person or organization whose contributions or expenditure activities are financed, maintained or controlled by any corporation, labor organization, association, political party or any other person or committee, including any parent, subsidiary, branch, division department or local unit of the corporation, labor organization, association, political party or any other person, or by any group of such persons, shall be considered to be made by the person or organization financing, maintaining or controlling the contribution or expenditure.

B. Two or more persons shall be treated as one and the same person for purposes of the contribution limitations set forth in Section 2.13.050 and their contributions shall be aggregated and shall not exceed the limitations set forth in Section 2.13.050, in the following situations:

1. Related Entities. Two or more entities, including, but not limited to, partnerships, limited partnerships, and corporations, shall be treated as one person for purposes of the contribution limitations set forth in Section 2.13.050 above, when any of the following circumstances apply:

a. The entities share the majority of members of their governing boards.

b. The entities share two or more officers.

c. The entities are owned or controlled by the same majority shareholder(s) or general partner(s). For purposes of this subsection, a controlling interest means fifty (50) percent or more of the voting power of a corporation.

d. The entities are in a parent-subsidiary relationship. A parent-subsidiary relationship exists when one corporation directly or indirectly owns shares possessing fifty (50) percent or more of the voting power of another corporation.

2. Controlling Interest. A person and any general partnership in which the person is a general partner, or a person and any corporation in which the person owns a controlling interest, shall be treated as one and the same, and the aggregate contributions made by the person and the corporation or partnership shall not exceed the contribution limitations set forth in Section 2.13.050.

For purposes of this subsection, a controlling interest in a corporation means fifty (50) percent or more of the voting power of a corporation.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.13.180, a candidate shall not be deemed to be in violation of this section if he or she accepts a contribution from a person or persons that exceeds the contribution limits set forth in Section 2.13.050 because of the aggregation of contributions pursuant to subsections A and B of this section. It is the intent of this section to make contributors, and not candidates, liable for violations of this section occurring as a result of the applicability of the aggregation rules set forth in subsections A and B of this section, except where there is sufficient proof that the candidate had knowledge that the contributions must be aggregated. (Ord. 2017-0027 § 4; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

A. Candidate for City Council Position. A candidate or controlled committee of a candidate for a city council position other than mayor shall provide the following written notice:

NOTICE

Chapter 2.13 of the Sacramento City Code limits the amounts that a contributor may give to a candidate for a City Council position for a primary, general or special election. Generally, a contributor other than a large political committee may not give more than $2,200 to a candidate for a City Council position for a primary, general or special election, while a large political committee may not give more than $7,300 to a candidate for City Council for a primary, general or special election. Chapter 2.13 contains certain other rules that may affect the amounts that an individual contributor may give. Please read Chapter 2.13 before making a contribution to my campaign.

B. Candidate for Mayoral Position. A candidate or controlled committee of a candidate for mayor shall provide the following written notice:

NOTICE

Chapter 2.13 of the Sacramento City Code limits the amounts that a contributor may give to a candidate for Mayor for a primary, general or special election. Generally, a contributor other than a large committee may not give more than $4,350 to a candidate for Mayor for a primary, general or special election, while a large political committee may not give more than $14,550 to a candidate for Mayor for a primary, general or special election. Chapter 2.13 contains certain other rules that may affect the amounts that an individual contributor may give. Please read Chapter 2.13 before making a contribution to my campaign. (Ord. 2025-0009 § 2; Ord. 2023-0006 § 2; Ord. 2021-0007 § 3; Ord. 2019-004 § 3; Ord. 2017-0027 § 5; Ord. 2015-0009 § 3; Ord. 2013-0005 § 5; Ord. 2012-021 § 4; Ord. 2011-019 § 3; Ord. 2009-020 § 2; Ord. 2007-015 § 4; Ord. 2005-072 § 4; Ord. 2000-048 §

A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, any transfer of funds or contributions by a committee to a controlled committee of a candidate for city elective office including an elected councilmember or mayor, shall comply with the contribution limits set forth in Section 2.13.050; and any contribution or transfer of funds by a committee to another committee which makes contributions to a candidate for city elective office, including an elected councilmember or mayor, or which makes expenditures for or against a candidate for city elective office, including an elected councilmember or mayor, shall comply with the contribution limits set forth in Section 2.13.050.

B. Intra-Candidate Transfer of Funds. Except as otherwise prohibited by state law, a candidate for city elective office, including an incumbent running for the same or different city elective office, may transfer funds from any other committee controlled by the candidate to the candidate's committee for election to city elective office, provided all of the following requirements are met:

1. The candidate for city elective office establishes a new campaign account into which funds will be transferred. The candidate may not redesignate an existing campaign account.

2. The contributions transferred to the candidate's committee for election to a city elective office are attributed to specific contributors to the campaign contribution account from which they were transferred. Contributions shall be allocated and attributed to individual contributors on a "first in, first out" or "last in, first out" basis. For purposes of this section, the terms "first in, first out" and "last in, first out" shall have the following meanings:

a. "First in, first out" means the campaign funds being transferred are attributed to the transferring committee's contributors in chronological order beginning with the earliest of its contributors or, if there has been a prior transfer, beginning with the earliest contributor for which unattributed contributions remain.

b. "Last in, first out" means that campaign funds being transferred are attributed to the transferring committee's contributors in reverse chronological order beginning with the most recent of its contributors or, if there has been a prior transfer, beginning with the most recent contributor for which unattributed contributions remain.

3. The contributions transferred to the candidate's committee for election to a city elective office, when aggregated with all other contributions from, and transfers attributable to, the same contributor do not exceed the amount that the contributor could have contributed to the candidate, or the controlled committee of the candidate, pursuant to Section 2.13.050. (Ord. 2007-098 § 3; Ord. 2007-012 § 1; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

A. Aggregate Limits.

1. Except as provided in subsection (A)(2) of this section, the following aggregate off-election year contribution limits apply:

a. No councilmember or candidate for the city office of councilmember shall accept contributions totaling more than $36,550 in any single off-election year.

b. No mayor or candidate for the city office of mayor shall accept contributions totaling more than $72,950 in any single off-election year.

2. Exception: Contributions to Pay Off Campaign Debt. Notwithstanding the limits set forth in subsection (A)(1) of this section, a contributor may make, and a candidate or former candidate may accept, a contribution to pay off debts incurred for a primary or other election occurring prior to the date of the contribution, provided that the aggregate of contributions made to the candidate for one or more city offices does not exceed the contribution limits set forth in Section 2.13.050 of this chapter, and the contribution is properly reported on any required campaign statement filed under the Political Reform Act or the regulations or any required city supplemental statement or form.

B. The aggregate off-election year contribution limits set forth in subsection A of this section shall be in addition to the individual limits set forth in Section 2.13.050. The intent of this section is to impose an absolute limit on the amount that a candidate, including an incumbent, for city elective office may receive in contributions in any single off-election year, even if no single contribution exceeds the limits set forth in Section 2.13.050. It is the further intent that contributions made during off-election years shall be attributed to a particular election period, and shall be included in the amount attributed to a particular contributor for purposes of the contribution limits established by Section 2.13.050, pursuant to the rules set forth in subsection E of that section. (Ord. 2025-0009 § 3; Ord. 2023-0006 § 3; Ord. 2021-0007 § 4; Ord. 2019-0004 § 4; Ord. 2017-0027 § 6; Ord. 2015-0009 § 4; Ord. 2013-0005 § 6; Ord. 2011-019 § 4; Ord. 2009-020 § 3; Ord. 2007-015 § 5; Ord. 2005-072 § 5; Ord. 2003-010 § 2; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

A. In addition to contributions received in connection with an election to an elective city office, an elected city officer or a candidate for elective city office may receive contributions for a separate legal expense fund, for deposit into a separate account, to be used solely to defray attorney's fees and other legal costs incurred in the candidate's or officer's legal defense to any civil, criminal, or administrative action or actions arising directly out of the conduct of the campaign or election process, or the performance of the officer's governmental activities and duties.

B. Any elected city officer or candidate for elective city office wishing to establish a legal expense fund pursuant to this section shall file a statement of organization for the legal expense fund pursuant to Government Code Section 84101, as amended, with the secretary of state and a copy with the city clerk. The legal expense fund shall be named "The (name of candidate or officeholder) Legal Expense Fund." The statement of organization shall identify the specific civil, criminal or administration proceeding or proceedings for which the legal expense fund is established and shall conform to the requirements of Government Code Sections 84102-84104, as amended.

C. The legal expense fund shall establish a single account at an office of a financial institution located in the city of Sacramento, and all contributions to the officer or candidate for his or her legal expenses shall be deposited into that account.

D. Only contributions that are specifically designated by the donor as being made to the legal expense fund may be deposited into the legal expense fund account. All such contributions must be made payable to the legal expense fund, and no contribution that is not specifically made payable to the legal expense fund may be deposited into the legal expense fund account. However, nonmonetary contributions may be received and used for purposes directly related to the legal expenses for which the fund is established if the donor specifically designates in writing that the contributions have been made for such purposes.

E. No person (other than the officer or candidate) shall make, and no legal expense fund committee for an elective city officer or candidate for elective city office shall solicit or accept, contributions from any person to a legal defense fund totaling more than $1,450.

F. Expenditures from the legal expense fund account shall be made only for legal costs directly related to the civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding or proceedings for which the legal expense fund was established. In no event, however, shall any expenditures from the legal expense fund account be used to pay or reimburse any fines, penalties, judgments or settlements in connection with any criminal prosecution or any civil or administrative action in which the officer or candidate is found to have committed, or admits to, an intentional or negligent violation of the law.

G. No funds may be transferred from the legal expense fund to any other committee. Surplus funds remaining in the legal expense fund account after the proceeding or proceedings in connection with which the account was established have concluded, and after all debts are paid, may not be used for any other purpose. Such surplus funds shall be returned to donors on a pro rata basis or given to the city's general fund within six months after final conclusion of the proceeding or proceedings and the payment of all debts incurred.

H. The legal expense fund shall file campaign disclosure statements containing the same information and at the same times that the candidate or elective city officer files his or her statements in accordance with Government Code Sections 84100, et seq., as amended.

I. Except as provided in this section, a donation to a legal expense fund established pursuant to this section shall not be subject to contributions limitations.

J. This section shall constitute the sole authority for soliciting or accepting donations for legal costs for the defense of an action relating to the election process or an officer's conduct in office. (Ord. 2025-0009 § 4; Ord. 2023-0006 § 4; Ord. 2021-0007 § 5; Ord. 2019-0004 § 5; Ord. 2017-0027 § 5; Ord. 2015-0009 § 5; Ord. 2013-0005 § 7; Ord. 2009-020 § 4; Ord. 2007-015 § 6; Ord. 2005-072 § 6; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

A. Contributions by a husband and wife shall be treated as separate contributions and shall not be aggregated.

B. Except as provided in Section 2.13.100, contributions by dependent children shall be treated as contributions by their parent or parents. If there is joint custody of the child, one-half of the contribution shall be attributed to each parent, and if there is a single custodial parent, the contribution shall be attributed to that parent. (Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

Contributions to a candidate by his or her spouse of separate property, and contributions by a candidate's children or any other family members, shall be subject to the contribution limits of this article. (Ord. 2000-048 § 1)

A. The contribution limits set forth in this chapter shall be adjusted in the first quarter of every odd-numbered year to reflect any increase or decrease in the cost of living over the previous two-year period, as shown by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). Such adjustments shall be rounded off to the nearest fifty dollars ($50.00). No later than March 31st of each odd-numbered year, the city clerk shall bring forth to the city council an ordinance amending the contribution limit amounts stated in this chapter to reflect the increase or decrease in the CPI-U pursuant to this section.

B. In addition to, or in lieu of, the cost of living adjustments provided for in subsection A of this section, the city council may adjust the contribution limits set forth in this chapter at any time and in the amounts that it determines to be appropriate by adoption of an ordinance amending this chapter. (Ord. 2009-020 § 5; Ord. 2005-072 § 7; Ord. 2000-048 § 1)