SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senator Susan Rubio (D–Baldwin Park) introduced SB 1175 — The Lobbyist Registration Modernization Act, legislation to modernize California’s lobbying registration system by allowing individual lobbyists to file registration amendments and termination notices directly with the Secretary of State through the CAL-ACCESS Replacement System (CARS).

Under current law, lobbyists must submit any employment changes, amendments, or termination notices to their lobbying firm or employer, which then files those updates with the Secretary of State. This intermediary step can create delays and temporary transparency gaps—particularly when a lobbyist changes employers, because a lobbyist may only be registered with one employer at a time. In some cases, delays prevent a lobbyist from beginning new work or result in outdated public records.

With the implementation of CARS, timely and accurate registration is even more critical, as lobbyists must be properly registered with their employer to submit required disclosure reports.

SB 1175 removes the outdated requirement that employers act as intermediaries and instead authorizes lobbyists to file their own amendments, employment changes, and terminations directly with the Secretary of State, improving efficiency and ensuring more accurate, real-time public disclosure.

“Transparency and accountability are foundational to public trust,” said Senator Rubio. “SB 1175 modernizes our lobbying disclosure system, eliminates unnecessary delays, and ensures Californians have clear and timely information about who is advocating before their government. Good governance requires systems that are efficient, transparent, and responsive.”

The bill is sponsored by California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., who stated, “This measure will allow lobbyists to file their registrations directly with my office, providing a more direct and hopefully more convenient process. We expect it to lead to more efficient and timely processing of lobbyist registrations.”

SB 1175 continues California’s commitment to strengthening public disclosure laws while aligning state systems with modern digital reporting standards. 

Senator Rubio is available for interviews in English or Spanish. To schedule an interview, please contact 

Giovanni Ruiz at Giovanni.RuizReyes@sen.ca.gov.

For more information, visit the website of Senator Susan Rubio at senate.ca.gov/rubio