Article 3. Crimes Against The Legislative Power of California Government Code >> Division 2. >> Title 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.5. >> Article 3.

Every person who wilfully, and by force or fraud, prevents the Legislature, either of the houses composing it, or any of the members thereof from meeting or organizing is guilty of a felony.

Every person who wilfully disturbs the Legislature, or either of the houses composing it, while in session, or who commits any disorderly conduct in the immediate view and presence of either house tending to interrupt its proceedings or impair the respect due to its authority is guilty of a misdemeanor.

As used in this article, "bill or resolution" includes a constitutional amendment.

Every person who fraudulently alters the draft of any bill or resolution which has been presented to either of the houses composing the Legislature for passage or adoption, with intent to procure it to be passed or adopted by either house, or certified by the presiding officer of either house, in language different from that intended by such house, is guilty of a felony.

Every person who fraudulently alters the enrolled copy of any bill or resolution which has been passed or adopted by the Legislature, with intent to procure it to be approved by the Governor, certified by the Secretary of State, or printed or published by the State in language different from that in which it was passed or adopted by the Legislature is guilty of a felony.

(a) Every person who intentionally, maliciously, with knowledge of the falsity, and with intent to defame a particular legislator, publishes or causes to be published any writing which purports to be a facsimile of an actual bill or resolution, or any part thereof, of the California Legislature, which is not an exact copy of a bill or resolution, or part thereof, which has been introduced in the Legislature, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
  (b) This section shall not apply to the print media, the electronic media, or to news services.

Every person who obtains, or seeks to obtain, money or other thing of value from another person upon a pretense, claim, or representation that he can or will improperly influence in any manner the action of any member of a legislative body in regard to any vote or legislative matter, is guilty of a felony. Upon the trial no person otherwise competent as a witness may be excused from testifying concerning the offense charged on the grounds that the testimony may criminate himself, or subject him to public infamy. The testimony shall not afterwards be used against him in any judicial proceeding except for perjury in giving the testimony.

Every member of the Legislature convicted of any crime defined in this article, in addition to the punishment prescribed, forfeits his office and is forever disqualified from holding any office in the State.

Any person who shall secure through his influence, knowingly exerted for that purpose, the introduction of any bill, resolution or amendment into the State Legislature and shall thereafter solicit or accept from any person other than a person upon whose request he secured such introduction, any pay or other valuable consideration for preventing or attempting to prevent, the enactment or adoption of such measure, while it retains its original purpose, shall be guilty of a crime and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment.