DeMaio Proposes Bill to “Cut the Politicians’ Perks”

California State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio has introduced new legislation aimed at stripping away the lavish perks enjoyed by politicians in Sacramento — perks he says encourage corruption and breed a culture of entitlement among elected officials.

The bill, Assembly Bill 26, is called the “Cut the Politicians’ Perks Act,” and it targets the very heart of what DeMaio describes as a broken political system where politicians prioritize personal gain over public service.

“Politicians like Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara need to focus on doing their job rather than accepting lavish gifts like free trips to Bermuda,” says DeMaio. 

California State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara attended a three-day conference in Bermuda last month, paid for by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Lara missed a State Senate Insurance Committee oversight meeting while on the trip. Lara has also faced scrutiny for taking direct campaign contributions from the insurance industry.

“I’ve introduced AB 26 to cut politicians’ perks and end this form of corruption,” DeMaio continued.

DeMaio, who also serves as Chairman of Reform California, says the bill is necessary to restore accountability and ensure politicians are held to the same standards as the citizens they claim to represent.

“Assembly Bill 26 will strip politicians of these lavish perks and hold them accountable to the People — not special interests,” DeMaio says.

What AB 26 Will Do

AB 26 includes a broad set of reforms designed to eliminate common abuses by elected officials and restore trust in government:

• Gift Ban: Prohibits legislators from accepting most gifts and bars the use of campaign funds for out-of-state travel or tourism unrelated to campaigning.
  
• Lifetime Lobbying Ban: Bans former legislators from ever working as lobbyists and prohibits elected officials from buying or selling individual stocks while in office.
  
• Public Records Transparency: Repeals the Legislature’s exemption from public records rules by ending the so-called “Legislative Open Records Act” and instead requires lawmakers to follow the same California Public Records Act that applies to all other government bodies.
  
• Local Pension Limits: Prohibits new local elected officials from enrolling in public pension programs and caps all retirement benefits at levels aligned with the private sector.
  
• Labor Law Compliance: Requires the Legislature to follow the same employment and labor laws that they impose on private employers.

“Far too many politicians are using their position for personal gain. They’re living like royalty on the taxpayers’ dime while ignoring the real problems our state faces,” DeMaio says.

Critics have long pointed to the Legislature’s exemption from basic public transparency laws and ethical standards as a reason why corruption continues unchecked in Sacramento. DeMaio says AB 26 changes that.

“This is about bringing integrity back to government. If you run for office, it should be because you want to serve the public — not because you want a six-figure pension and a free vacation,” DeMaio says.

DeMaio and Reform California are calling on concerned citizens to demand that their elected officials end political perks and insider benefits.

“We need to clean house in Sacramento,” DeMaio says. “That starts by eliminating the corrupt perks that politicians have written for themselves.”