On August 8, the California Senate Appropriations Committee passed AB 583, which establishes a pilot project of public funding, but only for the Secretary of State’s race in the year 2014. The bill was amended to be funded by voluntary state income-tax checkoffs. The money raised will be added to the taxpayer’s tax bill.

The taxpayer funding only puts money in the fund, and does not relate to which candidate should get public funding. The bill still discriminates against independent candidates, by requiring them to get twice as many qualifying contributions (15,000) as are required for major party nominees.