12599.9. (a) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Charitable fundraising platform” means any person, corporation, unincorporated association or other legal entity that uses the internet to provide an internet website, service, or other platform to persons in this state, and performs, permits, or otherwise enables acts of solicitation to occur, which includes the following and any similar activity:
(A) Lists or references by name one or more recipient charitable organizations to receive donations or grants of recommended donations made by donors who use the platform.
(B) Permits persons who use the platform to solicit donations for or recommend donations to be granted to one or more recipient charitable organizations through peer-to-peer charitable fundraising.
(C) Permits persons who use the platform to select one or more recipient charitable organizations to receive donations or grants of recommended donations made by a platform, platform charity, or other third party person, based on purchases made or other activity performed by persons who use the platform.
(D) Lists or references by name one or more recipient charitable organizations to receive donations or grants of recommended donations made by the platform based on purchases made or other activity performed by persons who use the platform.
(E) Provides to charitable organizations a customizable internet-based website, software as a service, or other platform that allows charitable organizations to solicit or receive donations on or through the platform, including through peer-to-peer charitable fundraising. The customizable platform provided by the charitable fundraising platform does not include the charitable organization’s own platform, but may integrate with the charitable organization’s platform.
(2) “Charitable fundraising platform” does not include:
(A) A charitable organization’s own platform that solicits donations only for itself.
(B) A vendor that solely provides technical or supportive services to a charitable fundraising platform so that the charitable fundraising platform can function and operate, including vendors used for hosting or domain services, security certificates, internet access, internet application development, or digital payment processing. If that vendor also performs, permits, or otherwise enables acts of solicitation described by paragraph (1) on its own platform to persons in this state, it is a charitable fundraising platform for its own platform.
(C) A sponsoring organization of donor-advised funds, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 4966 of the Internal Revenue Code, that solicits donors to open donor-advised fund accounts or similar accounts, receives recommendations from donors on charitable organizations that may receive grants of funds previously contributed to the sponsoring organization for a donor’s donor-advised fund account, and the sponsoring organization does not list or reference by name one or more recipient charitable organizations for solicitation purposes on its platform for persons who do not have advisory privileges with respect to the granting of funds in a donor-advised fund of the sponsoring organization.
(D) A person or entity that meets the definition of both a commercial fundraiser for charitable purposes and a charitable fundraising platform shall be only a commercial fundraiser for charitable purposes when the person or entity for compensation performs any of the following acts of solicitation:
(i) Direct mail solicitation, excluding electronic mail or messages.
(ii) Estate gift or estate planning solicitation.
(iii) In-person solicitation through a fundraising event, door-to-door or other public spaces, or a vending machine or similar equipment that does not use a person to perform the solicitation.
(iv) Noncash solicitation.
(v) Nonincidental acts of solicitation that are not internet based, including solicitation through print, radio, or television.
(vi) Solicitation involving receiving something of value, or a chance to win something of value, in connection with a donation.
(vii) Telephone solicitation.
(E) A person or entity that meets the definition of both a commercial coventurer and a charitable fundraising platform solely under subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) shall be only a commercial coventurer when the acts of solicitation through an internet website, service, or other platform to persons in this state are for six or fewer recipient charitable organizations per calendar year, and the commercial coventurer complies with subdivision (b) of Section 12599.2.
(3) “Good standing” means that a platform charity, recipient charitable organization, or other charitable organization’s tax-exempt status has not been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service, or the Franchise Tax Board, or is not prohibited from soliciting or operating in the state by the Attorney General.
(4) “Peer-to-peer charitable fundraising” means a solicitation campaign created by a person to support a recipient charitable organization, through or with other assistance provided by a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity.
(5) “Platform charity” means a trustee as defined in Section 12582 or a charitable corporation as defined in Section 12582.1 that facilitates acts of solicitation on a charitable fundraising platform, which includes either of the following and any similar activity:
(A) Solicits donations through a charitable fundraising platform for itself from donors who use the charitable fundraising platform with the implied or express representation that the platform charity may grant donations to recipient charitable organizations.
(B) Grants funds to recipient charitable organizations based on purchases made or other activity performed by persons who use a charitable fundraising platform.
(6) “Platform charity” does not include a sponsoring organization of donor-advised funds, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 4966 of the Internal Revenue Code, that solicits donors to open donor-advised fund accounts or similar accounts, receives recommendations from donors on charitable organizations that may receive grants of funds previously contributed to the sponsoring organization for a donor’s donor-advised fund account, and the sponsoring organization does not list or reference by name one or more recipient charitable organizations for solicitation purposes on its platform for persons who do not have advisory privileges with respect to the granting of funds in a donor-advised fund of the sponsoring organization.
(7) “Recipient charitable organization” means a trustee as defined in Section 12582 or a charitable corporation as defined in Section 12582.1, that is listed or referenced by name on a charitable fundraising platform or by a platform charity for solicitation purposes.
(b) (1) A charitable fundraising platform is a trustee for charitable purposes subject to the Attorney General’s supervision. A charitable fundraising platform shall, before soliciting, permitting, or otherwise enabling solicitations, register with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, under oath, on a form provided by the Attorney General. Persons or entities that meet the definition of a charitable fundraising platform and platform charity shall register as a charitable fundraising platform.
(2) Registration shall be renewed each year. The Attorney General shall impose a registration and renewal fee, which shall be deposited and used in accordance with Section 12587.1.
(3) A platform charity is a trustee for charitable purposes subject to the Attorney General’s supervision. A platform charity shall register as a trustee in accordance with Section 12585 when not already registered. When a charitable fundraising platform partners with a platform charity, the platform charity shall promptly notify the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts of the partnership, unless previously specified through the registration of the platform charity or charitable fundraising platform.
(c) A charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall file annual reports, under oath, with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts on a form provided by the Attorney General. The reports shall:
(1) Enable the Attorney General to ascertain whether charitable funds have been properly solicited, received, held, controlled, or distributed in compliance with this article, including, but not limited to, providing information on the number of donations made, the amounts raised, the length of time for distributing donations or grants of recommended donations, the fees charged by or through a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity, and information on recipient charitable organizations or other charitable organizations that were sent or were not sent donations or grants of recommended donations.
(2) Not require the disclosure of personally identifiable information of donors or other persons using a charitable fundraising platform.
(d) (1) A platform charity shall have good standing in order to facilitate acts of solicitation on a charitable fundraising platform.
(2) A charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall only solicit, permit, or otherwise enable solicitations, or receive, control, or distribute funds from donations for recipient charitable organizations or other charitable organizations in good standing. To determine good standing of recipient charitable organizations or other charitable organizations, a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity may rely on electronic lists periodically published by the Internal Revenue Service, the Franchise Tax Board, and the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, provided that the lists are in a machine-readable structured data format. If any such agency does not publish such a list, then a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity is not required to comply with this paragraph for that applicable agency for the length of time that agency’s list is unavailable.
(e) A charitable fundraising platform or platform charity that performs, permits, or otherwise enables acts of solicitation described by subparagraph (A), (B), or (C), of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall, before a person can complete a donation or select or change a recipient charitable organization, provide conspicuous disclosures that prevent a likelihood of deception, confusion, or misunderstanding, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) A statement that donations are made to the charitable fundraising platform, the platform charity, the recipient charitable organization, or the person engaging in peer-to-peer charitable fundraising, whichever is applicable.
(2) A statement that a recipient charitable organization may not receive donations or grants or recommended donations, with an explanation identifying the most pertinent reasons under which a recipient charitable organization may not receive the funds. This disclosure is not required when there are no circumstances under which a recipient charitable organization may not receive the funds. The explanation may be provided through a conspicuous hyperlink, so long as the disclosure is conspicuous when the hyperlink is selected.
(3) The maximum length of time it takes to send the donation or a grant of the recommended donation to a recipient charitable organization with an explanation as to the length of time, unless the donation is sent contemporaneously to a recipient charitable organization after the donation is made. The explanation as to the maximum length of time may be provided through a conspicuous hyperlink, so long as the disclosure is conspicuous when the hyperlink is selected.
(4) The fees or other amounts, if any, deducted from or added to the donation or a grant of the recommended donation that are charged or retained by the charitable fundraising platform, platform charity, or any other partnering vendor, other than digital payment processing fees. This disclosure is not required for acts of solicitation described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) when no fees or amounts are deducted or added.
(5) A statement as to the tax deductibility of the donation. This disclosure is not required for acts of solicitation described by subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(f) (1) A charitable fundraising platform or platform charity that solicits, permits, or otherwise enables solicitations shall obtain the written consent of a recipient charitable organization before using its name in a solicitation. Written consent shall be provided directly to the charitable fundraising platform or platform charity, or may be provided to a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity and apply to any partnering charitable fundraising platforms expressly identified in an agreement providing consent, by one authorized officer, director, trustee, or other duly authorized representative of the recipient charitable organization.
(2) Written consent pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not be required for acts of solicitation described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C), of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) if, in addition to all provisions of this section and rules or regulations established under Section 12599.10, all of the following are met:
(A) The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall only reference the recipient charitable organization’s name, address, telephone number, internet website, including through a hyperlink, employer identification number, corporation or organization number, or registration number with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, classification in the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities system, publically available information from the recipient charitable organization’s tax or information returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service, publically available information from the recipient charitable organization’s reports filed with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, or other information set forth in rules or regulations established under Section 12599.10, if any.
(B) The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall conspicuously disclose before persons can complete a donation, or select or change a recipient charitable organization, that the recipient charitable organization has not provided consent or permission for the solicitation, and has not reviewed or approved the content generated by persons engaging in peer-to-peer charitable fundraising, when applicable.
(C) The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall remove any recipient charitable organization from its list or any solicitation regarding the recipient charitable organization upon written request by the recipient charitable organization, and verification that the request is legitimate. Requests shall be promptly verified and it shall take no longer than three business days for removal to occur after verification is completed.
(D) The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall not require that a recipient charitable organization consent to any solicitations as a condition for accepting a donation or grant of a recommended donation.
(g) After donors contribute donations based on solicitations described by subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall promptly provide a tax donation receipt in accordance with Sections 17510.3 and 17510.4 of the Business and Professions Code.
(h) The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall not divert or otherwise misuse the donations received through solicitation on the charitable fundraising platform, and shall hold them in a separate account or accounts from other funds belonging to the charitable fundraising platform or platform charity. The charitable fundraising platform or platform charity shall promptly ensure donations and grants of recommended donations are sent to recipient charitable organizations with an accounting of any fees imposed for processing the funds, and in accordance with any rules and regulations established under Section 12599.10.
(i) When a charitable fundraising platform or platform charity contracts with vendors to solicit, receive, control, process, distribute, and otherwise account for donations on the charitable fundraising platform, the contracts shall be available for inspection by the Attorney General.
(j) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2023.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 616, Sec. 17. (AB 488) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, by its own provisions.)