California passed SB 149 through the State Assembly on Thursday. This bill, if made law, would compel all presidential candidates to release their tax returns if they wanted their names to be considered on the state’s ballot. SB 149 states:

Existing law establishes processes for printing on presidential primary ballots the names of candidates for President of the United States who are considered to be generally recognized candidates or who are selected by a sufficient number of registered voters. Existing law generally requires a write-in candidate for President in a presidential primary election to file an endorsement of his or her write-in candidacy with the Secretary of State, at least 21 days before the election.

This bill would enact the Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act, which would require a candidate for President, in order to have his or her name placed upon a primary election ballot, to file his or her income tax returns for the 5 most recent taxable years with the Secretary of State, as specified.