Update 3:43 p.m.: After announcing that the adoption of the regulations would be delayed, the FPPC reconvened from a recess break and voted to adopt several of the regulations.
The Fair Political Practices Commission has delayed a planned vote to overhaul rules on gifts to lawmakers and other state officials, continuing discussion of proposed regulatory changes until next month.
The proposed changes would regulate situations in which gifts do not need to be reported or counted towards the $420 annual limit for gifts from an individual source. Some of the exceptions, including carve-outs for gifts received in the context of dating relationships and funerals, would apply to registered lobbyists, who are otherwise prohibited on spending more than $10 on gifts.
The draft regulations also address rules governing acceptance of free tickets to events, determining the value of travel on corporate jets and allowing lobbyists and others hosting lawmakers in their homes.
Commissioners and staff considered minor and technical changes to the 78-page draft regulations for more than two hours Thursday. They voted on some provisions, including one affecting home hospitality rules, but decided to put off full discussions and final vote on other changes until next month to accommodate the travel plans of two commissioners who were scheduled to leave Sacramento in the early afternoon.
FPPC Chair Ann Ravel had at first suggested that the commission -- which is set to meet next in about a month -- schedule a second meeting in December focused solely on wrapping up its work on the gift regulations.
But after one commissioner was able to change travel plans during a recess, the four remaining commissioners decided to discuss and vote on some regulations they had previously decided to table until the December meeting.
"Instead of making December a really difficult meeting and then not being able to get to the other issues that we wanted to discuss I thought it would be best... that we should go forward (with some votes)," Ravel said.
Regulatory changes not addressed today, including the exceptions for lobbyists dating legislators, are currently set to be considered at the commission's Dec. 8 meeting.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect a later vote by the commission.
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