CA SB794

Allows committees to return or attribute excess contributions to another election without violating contribution limits if the excess is returned or attributed within 14 days, the committee did not knowingly deposit the excess contribution, and the contribution was not used before return or attribution.

Permits committees that knowingly deposited an excess contribution to still return or attribute it within 72 hours of receipt or by election day (whichever is sooner), provided the excess contribution is not more than two times the applicable limit and the contribution was not used before return or attribution.

Requires committees to notify contributors by the return or attribution deadline that their contribution exceeded the applicable limit, and if automatically attributed to another election, inform them they may request a refund.

Establishes that committees may attribute excess contributions between primary and general elections in accordance with commission regulations, and defines "use" of a contribution as making expenditures exceeding what the committee's available cash balance would have been without that contribution.

Declares the bill furthers the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974, requiring a two-thirds vote in each legislative house for passage.