2014 -- H 7054 AS AMENDED

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LC003192

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Canario, Gallison, Hearn, and Finn

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2014

     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 and expenditures

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made by it in excess of a total of one hundred dollars ($100) from any one source within a

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calendar year, in furtherance of the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate or the

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approval or rejection of any question submitted to the voters, or at any financial town meeting,

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financial town referendum, or other election at which amendments to a city or town charter are

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proposed, during the period from the date of the last report, or in the case of the initial report,

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beginning on the date of the appointment of the campaign treasurer for state and municipal

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committees and political action committees and on the date a person becomes a "candidate", as

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defined in section §17-25-3(2) for individual candidates. The report shall contain the name, and

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

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expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars ($100) were received or made, and the amount

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contributed or expended by each person or source. The report shall be filed with the board of

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elections on the dates designated in section §17-25-11. The campaign treasurer of the candidate,

 

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or committee reporting, shall certify to the correctness of each report. This subsection shall apply

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to any entity advocating the approval or rejection of any question presented to voters at any

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financial town meeting, which shall file reports of contributions or expenditures every seven (7)

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days if the total of the money so expended exceeds one hundred dollars ($100) in a calendar year

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notwithstanding any other provisions contained in this title.

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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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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 and expenditures it makes from any one source in excess of one hundred

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dollars ($100).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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