Assemblymember Mia Bonta Sends Bill to Expand Candidate Security Opportunities to the Governor

SACRAMENTO – Today, AB 789, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) and co-authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, was sent to the Governor’s desk after passing its final vote on the Assembly floor. If signed into law, this bill would remove the $10,000 lifetime cap on security spending through 2028, after which a $10,000 annual cap would apply.

“It's no secret that political violence is increasing. The threats, harassment, and violence are damaging our politics and discouraging community leaders from running for office. AB 789 makes sure that local and state candidates can take the necessary steps to feel safe while campaigning," said Assemblymember Mia Bonta. “Safety should not be something we sacrifice to serve our community, and this bill guarantees sensible safety measures and peace of mind are accessible.”

AB 789 follows Assemblymember Bonta's AB 2041 in 2024, which revised California’s 30-year-old candidate finance rules by doubling the lifetime limit on security expenses from $5,000 to $10,000 and expanding eligibility for security expenses to include a candidate's or elected official's family and staff. 

“Political violence has no place in America. And in the current environment, we must make sure elected officials can go about serving the public safely. I thank Assemblymember Bonta for her commitment to making sure electeds, their immediate families and staff can respond to any threat and keep safe,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas).

“We have entered an era where stepping up to serve as an elected official is literally putting you in the crosshairs of those who have traded civil discourse for bullets. Threats against elected officials at every level of government have exploded over the last few years and we must ensure that those who raise their hands to serve their communities as elected officials have the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones as they carry out their elected duties,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “We cannot continue the work to return to an era of civility and a reverence for free speech if we cannot keep our elected leaders safe and I want to thank Assembly Member Bonta for authoring this bill in recognition of the increasing and very real dangers facing elected officials.”

Political violence has dominated headlines over the past five years, including a plot to kidnap Michigan’s Governor Whitmer, the attack on our nation’s Capitol on January 6th, an attack on Speaker Emeritus Pelosi’s husband at his home, assassination attempts against President Trump, an arson attack on Pennsylvania’s Governor Shapiro, shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, and most recently, the killing of political commentator Charlie Kirk. 

At the same time, legislative and campaign staff are facing threats and harassment, and while Congressional and Senate candidates are spending upwards of a million dollars on security measures, California candidates reporting to the California Fair Political Practices Commission face a shockingly low limit.

Research from Princeton University shows that threats and harassment are rising at the national, state, and local government levels, with over 600 incidents recorded last year alone. This represents a 14% increase from 2023 and a 74% increase from 2022. These incidents have been found to make local elected officials more hesitant to run for re-election, participate in public events, or work on topical issues. 

These threats, harassment, and violence disproportionately affect female candidates and even dissuade them from running. From California Women’s List’s 2023 Report:

• Nearly two-thirds of women (65.38%) experienced harassment during their campaign, compared to 50% of men.
• The data was even more stark for women of color–54.76% of whom experienced stalking at least once during their campaign (28.57% reporting experiencing stalking frequently or very frequently)– and LGBTQ+ women, 53.33% of whom experienced stalking during their campaign.

The bill continues Assemblymember Bonta’s multi-year commitment to protecting candidate security, most recently with AB 2041 (2024), which was signed into law. AB 789 and AB 2041 received bipartisan support and were among the most closely watched bills in the legislature. 

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Assemblymember Mia Bonta represents California’s 18th Assembly District encompassing the East Bay including Oakland, Alameda, and Emeryville. She also chairs the Assembly Health Committee.

Courtesy photos can be found HERE.