House of Representatives

HB 2389

political committees; reporting requirements

Sponsors: Representatives Leff, Allen

DP	Committee on Judiciary
dpa	Caucus and COW
x	As Transmitted to the Governor

HB 2389 makes various changes to Arizona law relating to political committees.

History

Current Arizona law provides that different types of political committees (candidate’s campaign committees, independent expenditure committees and ballot measure committees) follow different guidelines for reporting campaign contributions and expenditures.

Provisions

General

· Provides that political committees that intend to receive contributions or make expenditures of over $500 file a statement of organization before making expenditures, accepting contributions, distributing campaign literature or circulating petitions.

· Requires that campaign literature or advertisements include the words paid for by followed by the name of the political committee as named on its statement of organization or $500 exemption statement.

Candidates and Exploratory Committees

· Provides that each candidate intending to receive contributions or make expenditures of $500 or less must file an exemption statement before making expenditures, accepting contributions, distributing campaign literature or circulating petitions. If the exempt candidate receives or makes more than $500 the candidate must file a statement of organization with the filing officer within five days.

· Requires an individual who receives contributions or makes expenditures of over $500 for purposes of exploring whether to become a candidate to designate a political committee before making any expenditures, accepting contributions or distributing any campaign literature.

Ballot Measure Committees

· Transfers and renumbers reporting requirements for ballot measure committees from Title 19 (initiative and referendum) to Title 16 (elections and electors).

· Adds language to include a political committee that advocates support of or opposition to an initiative, referendum or recall or any other measure or proposition to be registered as a committee at the time of distribution of campaign literature or advertisement.

· Requires the literature or advertisement to include the four largest of its major funding sources.

· Defines major funding source.

· Requires a ballot measure committee to disclose on its literature or advertisement that a major funding source is from out of state, if applicable.

· Specifies that ballot measure committees must give notice of certain contributions from a single source to the Secretary of State for statewide measures and to the local filing officer for nonstatewide measures. Further requires that these two officers be notified as applicable if the committee reaches certain contribution or expenditure totals.

· Requires that a ballot measure committee file a notice within 24 hours of receiving $10,000 in contributions and must include information about contributors, dates and amount of receipt, recipient and purpose of expenditures.

Independent Expenditure Committees

· Removes the requirement that an independent expenditure committee list individual contributors on literature or advertisements. Retains the requirement that the top three political committee contributors be listed.

· Makes technical and conforming changes.

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· 44th Legislature

· Second Regular Session 3 April 30, 2001

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