The Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”) has approved an increase in the annual gift limit for Form 700 filers from $520 to $590, effective January 1, 2023.
Annual Gift Limit
Under the Political Reform Act (“PRA”), elected officials, officials identified in Government Code Section 87200, and employees designated in a jurisdiction’s conflict of interest code generally may not accept gifts with a cumulative value above an annual gift limit, from a single source in a calendar year.
Certain gifts are excluded from the annual gift limits, such as:
- gifts from family members;
- informational materials related to the official’s duties, such as books and reports; and
- tickets provided to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraiser, provided directly by the nonprofit organization itself.
This gift limit works in a cumulative manner, requiring officials to track the total value of gifts received over the course of an entire calendar year from a single source. For example, if an official receives one $300 gift and a second $300 gift from the same source during the calendar year, the gift amount exceeds the new annual gift limit because the total value of the gifts would be $600.
The annual gift limit does not remove any local gift limits that may apply to public officials.
Increase in Annual Gift Limit to $590, effective January 1, 2023
The FPPC adjusts this gift limit on a biannual basis, and the new $590 annual gift limit is effective January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024.
As the holiday season begins, officials should be mindful that the existing annual $520 gift limit still applies through December 31, 2022.
If you have questions about gifts or the annual gift limit, please contact your RPLG attorney or Andrew Shen.