2012 -- H 7060

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LC00261

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Guthrie, Menard, O`Grady, and Hearn

     Date Introduced: January 10, 2012

     Referred To: House Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-25 entitled "Rhode

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Island Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting" is hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     17-25-7. Contents of reports to be filed by treasurers of candidates and committees.

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-- (a) Each campaign treasurer of a candidate, each state and municipal committee of a political

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party, and each political action committee shall keep accurate records and make a full report,

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upon a form prescribed by the board of elections, of all contributions received by it in excess of a

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total of one hundred dollars ($100) from any one source within a calendar year, in furtherance of

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the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate or the approval or rejection of any question

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submitted to the voters, or at any financial town meeting or other election at which amendments

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to a city or town charter are proposed, during the period from the date of the last report, or in the

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case of the initial report, beginning on the date of the appointment of the campaign treasurer for

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state and municipal committees and political action committees and on the date a person becomes

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a "candidate", as defined in section 17-25-3(2) for individual candidates. The report shall contain

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the name and address and place of employment of each person or source from whom the

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contributions in excess of one hundred dollars ($100) were received, and the amount contributed

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by each person or source. The report shall be filed with the board of elections on the dates

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designated in section 17-25-11. The campaign treasurer of the candidate, or committee reporting,

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shall certify to the correctness of each report.

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      (b) Each state and municipal committee of a political party shall also file with the board

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of elections, not later than March 1 of each year, an annual report setting forth in the aggregate all

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contributions received and all expenditures made during the previous calendar year, whether or

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not these expenditures were made, incurred, or authorized in furtherance of the election or defeat

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of any candidate. The treasurer of the committee or organization reporting shall certify to the

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correctness of each report.

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      (c) Any report filed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall include contributions

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received from any "testimonial affair", as defined in section 17-25-3, held since the date of the

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most recent report filed.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00261

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

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     This act would require any political party or political action committee which advocates

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any question considered at any financial town meeting or at any election at which amendments to

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a city or town charter are proposed to file a report with the board of canvassers of all the

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contributions it receives from any one source in excess of one hundred dollars ($100).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00261

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