2017 -- S 0801

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LC001849

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND

EXPENDITURES REPORTING

     Introduced By: Senator Erin P. Lynch Prata

     Date Introduced: April 25, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-25 entitled "Rhode

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

follows:

     17-25-10. Lawful methods of contributing to support of candidates -- Reporting --

Disposition of anonymous contributions.

     (a) No contribution shall be made or received, and no expenditures shall be directly made

or incurred, to support or defeat a candidate except through:

     (1) The candidate or duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of

the candidate;

     (2) The duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of a political

party committee;

     (3) The duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of a political

action committee.

     (b) It shall be lawful for any person, not otherwise prohibited by law and not acting in

concert with any other person or group, to expend personally from that person's own funds a sum

that is not to be repaid to him or her for any purpose not prohibited by law to support or defeat a

candidate; provided, that any person making the expenditure shall be required to report all of his

or her expenditures and expenses, if the total of the money so expended exceeds one hundred

dollars ($100) within a calendar year, to the board of elections within seven (7) days of making

the expenditure and to the campaign treasurer of the candidate or political party committee on

whose behalf the expenditure or contribution was made, or to his or her deputy, within seven (7)

days of making the expenditure. The treasurer or his or her deputy shall cause the expenditures

and expenses to be included in his or her reports to the board of elections. Whether a person is

"acting in concert with any other person or group" for the purposes of this subsection shall be

determined by application of the standards set forth in § 17-25-23.

     (c) Any anonymous contribution received by a candidate, campaign treasurer, or deputy

campaign treasurer shall not be used or expended, but shall be returned to the donor, if the donor's

identity can be ascertained; if not, the contribution shall escheat to the state.

     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 - RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND

EXPENDITURES REPORTING

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     This act would eliminate the reporting requirements imposed on persons and campaign

treasurers for expenditures made to support or defeat a candidate by persons or groups not acting

in concert with the candidate's campaign.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001849

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