2019 -- S 0587 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - DECLARATIONS OF CANDIDACY

     

     Introduced By: Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis

     Date Introduced: March 14, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-8 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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     17-25-8. Appointment of campaign treasurer by candidate -- Filings.

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     (a) Each candidate in an election shall file a "notice of organization" with the board of

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elections and appoint one campaign treasurer before receiving any contribution or expending any

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money in furtherance or aid of the candidate's candidacy. The "notice of organization" shall

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include the name and address of the candidate, the campaign treasurer and the committee being

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established. The candidate shall declare the office being sought and shall comply with the

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financial statement requirement of § 36-14-16(c).

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     (b) A candidate may appoint deputy campaign treasurers as required. The candidate shall

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file the names and addresses of deputy campaign treasurers with the board of elections.

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     (c) A candidate may remove a campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer. In the

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case of the death, resignation, or removal of a campaign treasurer, the candidate shall appoint a

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successor as soon as practicable and shall file his or her name and address with the board of

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elections within ten (10) days. A candidate may serve as his or her own campaign treasurer, and

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upon failure to designate a treasurer, the candidate shall be designated his or her own treasurer by

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the board of elections.

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     SECTION 2. Section 36-14-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-14 entitled "Code of

 

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Ethics" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     36-14-16. Financial statement to be filed.

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     (a) On or before the last Friday in April of each year, the following officials and

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employees subject to this code of ethics shall file with the commission a financial statement

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complying with the requirements of this chapter.

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     (1) All state elected officials;

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     (2) All state appointed officials;

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     (3) All state appointed officials and employees who hold a major decision-making

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position in a state agency;

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     (4) All municipal elected officials; and

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     (5) All municipal appointed officials whose official duties and responsibilities include

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exercising decision-making authority over the expenditure of more than fifty thousand dollars

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($50,000) in public funds in any fiscal or calendar year, and expressly including solicitors and

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assistant solicitors, police chiefs, fire chiefs, superintendents of schools, principals,

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superintendents and administrators of charter schools, board members of charter schools,

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principals, superintendents and administrators of state schools, board members of state schools,

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building inspectors, members of planning boards, zoning boards, licensing boards and tax appeal

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boards. This subsection shall also include all municipal appointed officials whose official duties

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and responsibilities include nominating, appointing or hiring any persons that will receive

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compensation of more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in public funds in any fiscal or

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calendar year.

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     (b) In the case of state and municipal appointed officials on and after January 1, 1988, the

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appointee shall file the financial statement within thirty (30) days after the date of his or her

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appointment or the date he or she qualifies for the office; provided, however, that in the case of

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the appointment of officials that require senate confirmation, the appointee shall file the financial

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statement with the appropriate senate committee prior to the institution of those confirmation

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proceedings.

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     (c) Within thirty (30) days after the filing deadline, or within thirty (30) days after filing a

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notice of organization or compliance with § 17-25-8 every person who is a candidate for an office

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as an elected officer, except those candidates for moderator and clerk of a voting district of the

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cities and towns, shall file the financial statement as required by this chapter. Filings of

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candidates for general office shall include information as required in subdivision 36-14-17(b)(2).

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The commission shall grant an extension for good cause shown of not more than fifteen (15)

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days, provided a request for the extension is received prior to the filing deadline for the financial

 

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statement.

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     (d) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, at least thirty (30) days before the

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deadline date for the filing of a financial statement by each individual required to file, the

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commission shall mail to the individual a copy of the financial statement form. In the case of

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candidates other than those covered by subsection (f) of this section, the forms shall be mailed

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within ten (10) days after the filing deadline date. In the case of appointed officers covered by this

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section, the forms shall be mailed within seven (7) days after the date of the appointment.

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     (e) If a person has filed a financial statement as required by one subsection of this section

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covering the preceding calendar year, he or she is not required to file a financial statement as

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required by another subsection if, before the deadline for filing under the other subsection, he or

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she notifies the commission in writing that he or she has already filed a financial statement under

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the subsection specified.

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     (f) A person required to file a financial statement under subsection (a) of this section may

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request the commission to grant an extension of time of not more than sixty (60) days for filing

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the statement. The commission shall grant the extension of not more than sixty (60) days if the

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request is received prior to the filing deadline or if a timely filing or request for extension is

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prevented because of physical or mental incapacity. Not more than one extension may be given to

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a person in one year except for good cause shown.

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     (g) The deadline for filing any statement required by this section is 5:00 P.M. of the last

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day designated in the pertinent subsection of this section for filing the statement. When the last

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day of filing falls on a Saturday or Sunday or an official state holiday, the deadline for filing is

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extended to 5:00 P.M. of the next day which is not a Saturday or Sunday or holiday. Any

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statement required by any provision of this section to be filed within a specified time period shall

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be deemed to be timely filed if it is placed in the United States post office or in the hands of a

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common or contract carrier properly addressed to the appropriate authority within the time limits

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applicable to the statement. The postmark or receipt mark (if received by a common or contract

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carrier) will be prima facie evidence of the date that the statement was deposited with the post

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office or carrier. The person filing the statement may show by competent evidence that the actual

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date of posting was to the contrary.

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     SECTION 3. 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 - DECLARATIONS OF CANDIDACY

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     This act would require all candidates for elected office to include, when they file their

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"notice of organization", declaration of the office being sought and to file their code of ethics

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financial statements within thirty (30) days thereafter.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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