Purpose

Alters statutory requirements relating to political committee contributions and expenditures.

Background

Currently, a political committee may dispose of surplus monies only by using the money for a subsequent election, returning the funds to the contributor, contributing surplus monies to the county, state or local committee of a political party, donating the surplus monies to a charitable organization or contributing surplus monies to another candidate's campaign or exploratory committee if the contribution is within the statutory limits. Currently, a candidate may not use excess campaign funds for personal use but may transfer any debt incurred from a campaign to a subsequent campaign or exploratory committee. The strike everything amendment to H.B. 2169 further limits the use of excess campaign funds to a subsequent election to the same office and limits to $10,000 the amount of excess campaign funds a candidate may use for expenditures related to the operation and management of the elected position obtained.

A political committee must currently designate a treasurer for campaign funds and designate a federally insured financial institution or the national credit union administration as its campaign depository. The political committee must notify the filing officer which institution will be used, and all deposits and withdrawals must contain the signature of the treasurer or a designated agent of the committee. The strike everything amendment to H.B. 2169 further requires a candidate’s campaign or exploratory committee to choose a finance committee and report the members of this committee to the Attorney General, the county, city or town attorney or the filing officer upon request.

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this measure.

Provisions

1. Limits the use of surplus political committee monies in subsequent elections to those elections for the same office, and stipulates that the offices of state senator and state representative are the same.

2. Allows a political committee, if elected to office, to use up to $10,000 of surplus campaign funds for expenditures directly related to the operation and management of the elected office held.

3. Requires registered lobbyists, designated public lobbyists and authorized public lobbyists to disclose and report the names of all candidate campaign or exploratory committees for which they have solicited or received three or more contributions, other than those donated by a candidate’s relatives.

4. Requires a nonparticipating candidate’s campaign or exploratory committee to designate a finance committee.

5. Stipulates that the members of the nonparticipating candidate’s finance committee must be authorized to solicit or receive contributions on behalf of the candidate’s campaign or exploratory committee.

6. Requires the members of the campaign or exploratory committee to keep a record of the members of the finance committee and to make the list available to the Attorney General the county, city or town attorney or the filing officer upon request.

7. Requires the Secretary of State to make the list of members of finance committees and exploratory committees available to the public via the Internet.

8. Makes technical and conforming changes.

9. Provides for a general effective date.

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