1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge your support for AB 1984, introduced by Assemblymember Chris Rogers and Senator Mike McGuire. This bill takes a necessary step toward addressing the corrosive influence of unlimited corporate spending in California elections by exercising our state's authority to regulate corporations chartered under our laws. Since the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, corporate money has flooded our political system through super PACs and other vehicles. While Congress has failed to act, California has the constitutional authority to define the powers we grant to corporations operating under our Corporations Code. AB 1984 exercises that authority by specifically prohibiting corporations from engaging in ballot issue activity or election activity. The bill's approach is straightforward. It revokes all previously granted corporate powers and establishes that corporations possess only those powers explicitly granted in the Corporations Code. Corporations would retain every power held by an individual to conduct business and affairs, but would be barred from participating in elections. This distinction recognizes that corporations are legal fictions created by the state for economic purposes, not citizens with inherent political rights. AB 1984 may be heard in committee starting March 16. I urge you to support this bill through the Banking and Finance and Judiciary committees and onto the floor. By closing legal loopholes that allow super PACs to dominate our political discourse, California can lead the nation in reclaiming our elections from corporate control. States have the right to manage corporate powers within their jurisdiction, and we must exercise that right now.