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John S Laird

Senator, State Senate

In the Legislature

Senate District 17 D · 3,677 floor votes this session, 1% not voting

Committees they vote in: Judiciary · Local Government · Natural Resources and Water · Labor, Public Employment and Retirement · Education · Budget and Fiscal Review · Human Services

Bills they lead: 67 (46 became law) — ACA 20, ACR 149, SB 1023, SB 1038, SB 1055, SB 106, SB 1078, SB 110, SB 111, SB 1139, SB 114, SB 1207 …

Bills their donors lobbied on

Bills they voted on (latest floor vote) that were lobbied by employers that gave to their campaign, reported spending on them, or paid at their request: the largest first. A lobbying report names the bill, not the side the employer took.

BillTheir voteEmployers that lobbied on it, and what they gave
SB 70
Public contracts: Small Business Procurement and Contract Act.		Aye
2025-05-29		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 437
California State University: claim eligibility: genealogy and descendancy.		Aye
2025-09-09		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 550
California State University, San Jose: legal partnership pilot program.		Aye
2025-06-02		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 7
Postsecondary education: admissions preference: descendants of slavery.		Aye
2025-09-09		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 1400
Community colleges: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program.		Aye
2025-09-09		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 928
California State University: faculty employees.		Aye
2026-04-23		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 960
Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.		Aye
2026-08-31		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 1130
Invasion of privacy: wearable recording devices.		Aye
2026-08-31		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 2580
Teacher credentialing: programs of professional preparation: California State University and community college partnerships.		Aye
2026-08-20		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 2693
California State University: California Maritime Academy.		Aye
2026-08-20		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 1803
Employment: sexual harassment training and education: anti-hate speech training.		Aye
2026-08-25		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 2301
Community colleges: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program.		Aye
2026-08-26		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 2694
Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.		Aye
2026-08-31		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
AB 664
Community colleges: baccalaureate degree program: Southwestern Community College District.		Aye
2026-08-31		CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ($89 gifts)
SB 504
Communicable diseases: HIV reporting.		Aye
2025-09-09		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 418
Health care coverage: prescription hormone therapy and nondiscrimination.		Aye
2025-09-11		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 590
Paid family leave: eligibility: care for designated persons.		Aye
2025-09-10		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 450
Adoption.		Aye
2025-09-11		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 278
Health data: HIV test results.		Aye
2025-09-09		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 48
Educational equity: discrimination prevention coordinators.		Aye
2025-09-13		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 497
Legally protected health care activity.		Aye
2025-09-10		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
SB 59
Change of name or gender and sex identifier.		Aye
2025-09-13		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 379
Crimes: prostitution.		Aye
2025-07-14		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 309
Hypodermic needles and syringes.		Aye
2025-09-03		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 822
Commission on the State of Hate.		Aye
2025-09-08		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 449
Civil Rights Department: antidiscrimination campaigns.		Aye
2025-09-08		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 554
Health care coverage: antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, and drug products.		Aye
2025-09-09		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 727
Pupil and student safety: identification cards.		Aye
2025-09-09		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 678
Interagency Council on Homelessness.		Aye
2025-09-10		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)
AB 1084
Change of name and gender and sex identifier.		Aye
2025-09-12		EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ($83 gifts)

Form 700 statements

StatementFiledWhat it lists
2025 Annual (amendment)
Senator, State Senate		2026-03-251 gifts, 3 travel
2025 Annual
Senator, State Senate		2026-02-271 businesses & trusts, 1 real property, 20 gifts, 5 travel
2024 Annual
Senator, State Senate		2025-02-281 businesses & trusts, 1 real property, 27 gifts, 9 travel

Findings

Worth a look Lobbying · the statement

Lobbying reports name $413.96 in gifts to them in 2025 from 1 source this statement doesn't list

Lobbyist employers' reports to the Secretary of State (Cal-Access) list activity expenses that benefited them in 2025, $50 or more from each of these sources, none named among the statement's gifts or travel: ST SHARED SERVICES LLC $413.96 (lodging).

What to check
  • Whether they attended or accepted it: the report is the lobbyist employer's account.
  • What Schedule D doesn't require (Form 700 instructions): gifts returned within 30 days; free admission and food at an event where they made a speech, from its organizer; up to two tickets to a campaign or 501(c)(3) fundraiser from the organization holding it; informational material; plaques worth less than $250.
  • Whether it's on the statement under another name.
  • That the report's beneficiary is this person (matched by name and office).
ST SHARED SERVICES LLC $413.96
Rule: Lobbying gifts not on the statement
“A gift is reportable if its fair market value is $50 or more. In addition, multiple gifts totaling $50 or more received during the reporting period from a single source must be reported.”Form 700 (2025/2026), Instructions – Schedule D ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Behested payments

Of $29,000 paid at their request since 2024: 2 sources ($0) are registered lobbyist employers

Payments made at their request (Form 803) from sources that also appear in Cal-Access: Qualcomm ($0 to Equality California Institute; lobbyist employer); Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. ($0 to Equality California Institute; lobbyist employer).

What to check
  • Context: behested payments are legal and public; this puts two public records side by side.
  • Whether the official later acted on matters involving these sources.
  • The full Form 803 reports (available from the FPPC on request).
Rule: Behested payments from donors or lobbyist employers
“Unlike gifts and contributions, there are no limits on the amount of payments an official may behest.”FPPC, Reporting Behested Payments – Form 803 ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Travel payments · the statement

Lists $9,751.11 in travel paid by others (5 payments)

Largest: Vancouver and Victoria, Canada ($5,095.43, California Foundation on the Environment & Economy), Helena, CA ($1,868.18, California LGBTQ Foundation), Carmel Valley, CA ($1,038.10, ST Shared Services LLC/Mallinckrodt). 5 of 5 are listed as gifts.

What to check
  • Who paid, and for what: speeches, conferences and nonprofit-paid travel are treated differently (Schedule E instructions).
  • Whether the paying organizations have business before the office.

Travel: California Foundation on the Environment & Economy $5,095 p.7Travel: California LGBTQ Foundation $1,868 p.7Travel: ST Shared Services LLC/Mallinckrodt $1,038 p.7

Rule: Travel paid by others
“Travel payments from third parties (not your employer).”Form 700 (2025/2026), Types of reportable interests ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Travel payments · the statement

Lists $15,460.52 in travel paid by others (3 payments)

Largest: Norway ($12,401.35, California Foundation on the Environment & the Economy), New York, NY ($2,000, The Climate Registry), Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA ($1,059.17, California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation). 3 of 3 are listed as gifts.

What to check
  • Who paid, and for what: speeches, conferences and nonprofit-paid travel are treated differently (Schedule E instructions).
  • Whether the paying organizations have business before the office.

Travel: California Foundation on the Environment & the Economy $12,401 p.3Travel: The Climate Registry $2,000 p.3Travel: California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation $1,059 p.3

Rule: Travel paid by others
“Travel payments from third parties (not your employer).”Form 700 (2025/2026), Types of reportable interests ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Amendments · the statement

Amends an earlier statement

This is an amendment. The original stays on file; what changed is in the amendment itself.

What to check
  • Compare with the original statement for the same year.
Rule: An amended statement

How this rule works

Behested payments

What John S Laird reported others paying at their request (FPPC Form 803) since 2024: $29,000 in 18 payments to 8 recipients. Officials report a source that pays $5,000 or more in a year; there is no limit.

Largest recipients: Max Ibarra (student) $5,000 · Alex Santiago $5,000 · Sage Tran $5,000 · Jose Castro $4,000 · Guadalupe Echevarria $4,000

Paid byTo, forAmount
California LGBTQ Foundation
Sacramento		Max Ibarra (student) · LGBTQ Caucus Foundation Student Scholarship
Charitable · 2024-10-03		$5,000
California LGBTQ Foundation
Sacramento		Alex Santiago · Scholarship
Charitable · 2025-08-22		$5,000
California LGBTQ Foundation
Sacramento		Sage Tran · Scholarship
Charitable · 2026-08-27		$5,000
California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation
Los Angeles		Jose Castro · Scholarship.
Charitable · 2026-06-05		$4,000
California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation
Los Angeles		Guadalupe Echevarria · Scholarship.
Charitable · 2026-06-05		$4,000
California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation
Los Angeles		Diego Giovanni Casapia · Scholarship
Charitable · 2025-07-21		$3,000
California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation
Los Angeles		Yahairi Nunez Ruiz · Scholarship
Charitable · 2025-07-21		$3,000
Qualcomm
San Diego · registered lobbyist employer		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Sycuan Casino
El Cajon		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Brutzkus Gubner Rozansky Seror Weber LLP
Woodland Hills		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Sanford Programs at National University
La Jolla		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Rob Bonta for CA AG
Sacramento		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.
Culver City · registered lobbyist employer · campaign donor		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
The Committee to Support the Office of the Lieutenant Governor
San Francisco		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County
Los Angeles		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Royal Bank of Canada
Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Drew Murphy
Los Angeles		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0
Reyes Coca Cola Bottling
Rosemont · campaign donor		Equality California Institute · NA
Charitable · 2222-01-01		$0

From the FPPC's Form 803 data (search and download). “Campaign donor” links to a donor who gave to two or more 2026 state candidates.

Reported by lobbying interests

What lobbyist employers, lobbyists and lobbying firms told the Secretary of State they spent on John S Laird since 2024: $697 across 8 items from 7 sources. Each amount is their share as the report gives it. Matched by name and office.

Reported byWhat, whenTo them
ST SHARED SERVICES LLC
$414 in all		Lodging at Bernardus Lodge and Spa · 2025-01-23 · report$413.96
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
$89 in all		CSU Alumni and Capitol Community Reception at CSU Chancellor's Office · 2025-03-18 · report$44.03
CSU Alumni and Capitol Community Reception at CSU Chancellor's Office · 2024-02-20 · report$44.48
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA
$83 in all		FOOD / BEVERAGES at GOLDEN 1 CENTER · 2024-02-28 · report$82.90
Port of Long Beach
$45 in all		Reception at The Climate Group North America · 2025-09-23 · report$45
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION
$29 in all		PRIVATE BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR at MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM · 2025-03-29 · report$29
California Environmental Voters
$22 in all		Meal at Frank Fat's · 2026-02-18 · report$22.27
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATION
$15 in all		SACRAMENTO VALLEY ADVOCACY DAY - BREAKFAST at FOX & GOOSE · 2024-02-22 · report$15.29

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