2018 -- S 2294

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LC004390

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REPORTING OF POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY

STATE VENDORS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lombardi, Lynch Prata, Conley, McCaffrey, and Algiere

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 17-27 of the General Laws entitled "Reporting of Political

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Contributions by State Vendors" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     17-27-6. Prohibition of political contributions.

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     (a) Any state or municipal vendor who contracts with state or municipal agencies, in the

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aggregate, annually more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), and any affiliated entities of such

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state or municipal vendor, are prohibited from making any contributions to any political

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committees established to promote the candidacy of:

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     (1) The officeholder responsible for awarding the contracts; or

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     (2) Any other declared candidate for that office.

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     This prohibition shall be effective for the duration of the term of office of the incumbent

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officeholder awarding the contracts or for a period of two (2) years following the expiration or

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termination of the contracts, whichever is longer.

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     (b) Any state or municipal vendor whose aggregate pending bids and proposals for

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contract with state or municipal agencies total more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or whose

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aggregate pending bids and proposals for contract with state agencies combined with the state or

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municipal vendor's aggregate annual total value of state contracts exceed twenty-five thousand

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dollars ($25,000), and any affiliated entities of such state or municipal vendor, are prohibited

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from making any contributions to any political committee established to promote the candidacy

 

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of the officeholder responsible for awarding the contract on which the business entity has

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submitted a bid or proposal during the period beginning on the date the invitation for bids or

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request for proposals is issued and ending on the day after the date the contract is awarded.

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     (c) All contracts between state or municipal agencies and a state or municipal vendor that

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violate subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be voidable. If a state or municipal vendor

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violates subsection (a) of this section three (3) or more times within a thirty-six (36) month

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period, then all contracts between state or municipal agencies and that state or municipal vendor

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shall be void, and that state or municipal vendor shall not bid or respond to any invitation to bid

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or request for proposals from any state or municipal agency or otherwise enter into any contract

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with any state or municipal agency for three (3) years from the date of the last violation. A notice

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of each violation and the penalty imposed shall be published on the website of the board of

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elections.

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     (d) Any political committee that has received a contribution in violation of subsection (a)

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or (b) of this section shall pay an amount equal to the value of the contribution to the state no

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more than thirty (30) days' notice of the violation from the board of elections. Payments received

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by the state pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the general revenue fund.

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     17-27-7. Severability.

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     If the provisions of this act or its application to any person or circumstance are held

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invalid, the invalidity of that provision or application does not affect the other provisions or

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applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

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     SECTION 2. Section 17-27-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-27 entitled "Reporting

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of Political Contributions by State Vendors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-27-1. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Affiliated entity" means:

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     (i) Any subsidiary of the bidding or contracting business entity;

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     (ii) Any member of the same unitary business group as the bidding or contracting

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business entity;

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     (iii) Any organization recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Services as a tax

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exempt organization described in § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. §

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501(c)) or any successor provision of federal tax law) established by the bidding or contracting

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business entity; or

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     (iv) Any political committee for which the bidding or contracting business entity.

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     (1)(2) "Aggregate amount" means the total of all contributions made to a particular

 

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general officer officeholder, candidate for general office officeholder, or political party within the

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time period set forth;

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     (2)(3) "Business entity" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation,

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holding company, joint stock company, receivership, trust, or any other entity recognized in law

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through which business for profit is conducted;

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     (3)(4) "Contribution" means a transfer of money, paid personal services, or other thing of

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value reportable under the terms of chapter 25 of this title;

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     (4)(5) "Executive officer" means any person who is appointed or elected as an officer of a

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business entity by either the incorporators, stockholders, or directors of the business entity who is

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in charge of a principal business unit, division, or function of the business entity, or participates

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or has authority to participate other than in the capacity of a director in major policymaking

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functions of the business entity or who is actively engaged in soliciting business from the state or

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conducting, other than in a ministerial capacity, business with the state; provided, that officers of

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the business entity who are located outside the state, are not residents of the state, and do not

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participate in the business of the business entity within this state shall be exempted from the

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requirements of this chapter;

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     (5)(6) "Goods or services" shall means and includes, but is not be limited to, cost

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reimbursement contracts or contingency fee contracts; not include services provided to a state

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agency by:

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     (i) Any public utility company; or

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     (ii) A federal or state banking institution or other depository institution solely in

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connection with depository accounts held by the institution on behalf of a state agency;

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     (6)(7) "Municipal agency" means a branch, department, division, agency, commission,

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board, office, bureau, or authority of the government of a municipality within the state of Rhode

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Island;

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     (8) "State agency" means a branch, department, division, agency, commission, board,

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office, bureau, or authority of the government of the state of Rhode Island;

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     (7)(9) (i) "State or municipal vendor" means:

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     (A) A person or business entity that sells goods or provides services to any state agency,

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     (B) A person or business entity which has an ownership interest of ten (10%) percent or

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more in a business entity that sells goods or provides services to any state agency, or

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     (C) A person who is an executive officer of a business entity that sells goods or provides

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services to any state or municipal agency,

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     (D) The spouse or minor child of a person qualifying as a state or municipal vendor under

 

LC004390 - Page 3 of 5

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the terms of subparagraphs (A), (B) or (C) of this paragraph, unless the spouse works for a vendor

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in competition for state business with the reporting business entity, or

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     (E) A business of the business entity that is a parent or subsidiary of a business entity that

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sells goods or provides services to any state or municipal agency. , or

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     (F) A person or business entity that bids to sell goods or provide services to any state or

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municipal agency.

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     (ii) "State or municipal vendor" does not mean:

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     (A) A municipality,

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     (B) A corporation established pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

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Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3),

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     (C) A hospital,

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     (D) A state or federal agency, or

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     (E) A person receiving reimbursement for an approved state or municipal expense. The

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director of administration is authorized to provide as a public record a list of further exemptions

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consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

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     (11) "Officeholder" means the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary

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of state, treasurer, members of the joint committee on legislative services, municipal, school, or

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other position that is filled by popular election or a candidate for the aforementioned offices. The

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governor shall be considered the officeholder responsible for awarding all contracts by all officers

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and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, executive branch state agencies

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not within the jurisdiction of the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state,

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the treasurer or members of the joint committee on legislative services. For the purposes of a

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municipality, the office that is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the

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contract shall be:

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     (i) The mayor or governing body, if the contract requires approval or appropriation from

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the mayor or governing body; or

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     (ii) The mayor, if the contract requires approval of the mayor, or if a public officer who is

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responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the mayor.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REPORTING OF POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY

STATE VENDORS

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     This act would amend the election laws concerning state vendors who are disqualified

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from making political contributions due to their business dealings with the state. This act would

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also add municipal vendors to those who are disqualified from making political contributions due

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to their business dealings with a municipality.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2019.

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LC004390

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