Press Releases

SACRAMENTO—California State Controller Betty T. Yee today announced her appointment of ethics and elections attorney Allison R. Hayward to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

The FPPC is a five-member independent, nonpartisan commission responsible for administration of the state’s Political Reform Act, which regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics.  The FPPC works to ensure public officials act in a fair and unbiased manner in governmental decision-making, promote transparency in government, and foster public trust in the political system.

Hayward currently serves on the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Previously, she was vice president of policy at the Center for Competitive Politics, an assistant professor at George Mason University School of Law, and chief counsel to Commissioner Bradley A. Smith of the Federal Election Commission.  Hayward has practiced election law in California and Washington, D.C., and she is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, as well as the American Law Institute.  After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

The Governor appoints the FPPC chair and one other commissioner of a different political party.  The State Controller, Attorney General, and Secretary of State each appoint one commissioner for a four-year term beginning February 1 after each presidential election.  In the interest of nonpartisanship, no more than three members may be from the same political party.  When the State Controller, Attorney General, and Secretary of State belong to the same party, the Controller selects a commissioner from a list provided by the chair of another political party with registration of more than 500,000 Californians.

Hayward, a Republican, earned her bachelor of arts in political science and economics from Stanford University and her juris doctorate from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.  She replaces Gavin Wasserman on the FPPC.  Hayward’s term ends January 31, 2021

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Yee is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The Controller also safeguards many types of property until claimed by the rightful owners, and has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds. She is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds. Elected in 2014, Controller Yee is the tenth woman elected to a statewide office in California’s history. Follow the Controller on Twitter at @CAController and on Facebook at California State Controller’s Office.

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