In summary
Reporters and the public use Cal-Access to track campaign financing and spending by lobbyists. But this outdated web portal probably won't be replaced at least until after the 2026 statewide election.
When will Cal-Access, California's outdated web portal for tracking campaign finance and lobbying activity, finally be replaced?
The short answer is probably not until December 2026. That's after the next statewide election, when reporters and the public need the data the most.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber's office is currently reviewing bids and said it expects major vendors to participate by this summer, according to Tuesday's update to the State Affairs Committee of the Congressional Appropriations Subcommittee.
An independent evaluation commissioned by Weber's office and the California Department of Technology estimates the project could take 27 months, but the actual timeline will depend on the vendor, said John, assistant project director. Heinlein told the committee.
Cal-Access is a system where campaign and lobbying disclosures required by state law are uploaded.it is This is the main way the public tracks how much campaign money candidates and ballot measure campaigns are raising, who the donors are, how much lobbyists are spending, and who is hiring them. It's a method.
However, what many people find frustrating is that the site frequently goes down, sometimes for hours at a time.
The replacement project aims to make the system more reliable, easier to use, and more transparent, according to the Secretary of State's website.
Weber's office is seeking $16.8 million in the 2024-25 budget to develop an initial plan and project structure.
The new and improved Cal-Access provides at least 3 years late. The project began in 2016 under then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who is currently a U.S. senator. After multiple delays, the new system was scheduled to be rolled out in June 2021, but an independent review said the replacement system had “deficiencies in its architecture, data structures, middle tiers, and user presentation.” It was suspended by Weber due to defects. layer. ” Based on that assessment, Mr. Weber’s office elected to restart the process.
The state has allocated about $64 million to the project so far, with at least $40 million spent as of September 2022.
