2023 -- H 5123

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LC000249

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND

EXPENDITURES REPORTING

     Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Donovan, Cortvriend, Ajello, Kislak, Tanzi,
Cotter, Stewart, Spears, and Felix

     Date Introduced: January 12, 2023

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-25 entitled "Rhode Island

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

     17-25-3. Definitions.

     As used in this chapter, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

     (1) “Business entity” means any corporation, whether for profit or not for profit, domestic

corporation or foreign corporation, as defined in § 7-1.2-106, financial institution, cooperative,

association, receivership, trust, holding company, firm, joint stock company, public utility, sole

proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, or any other entity recognized by the laws of the

United States and/or the state of Rhode Island for the purpose of doing business. The term “business

entity” shall not include a political action committee organized pursuant to this chapter or a political

party committee or an authorized campaign committee of a candidate or office holder. The term

“business entity” shall not include any exempt nonprofit as defined herein or any organization

described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding

internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, for the purposes of

chapter 25.3 of title 17.

     (2) “Candidate” means any individual who undertakes any action, whether preliminary or

final, which is necessary under the law to qualify for nomination for election or election to public

office, and/or any individual who receives a contribution or makes an expenditure, or gives his or

her consent for any other person to receive a contribution or make an expenditure, with a view to

bringing about his or her nomination or election to any public office, whether or not the specific

public office for which he or she will seek nomination or election is known at the time the

contribution is received or the expenditure is made and whether or not he or she has announced his

or her candidacy or filed a declaration of candidacy at that time.

     (3) “Conduit” or “intermediary” means any person who receives and forwards an

earmarked contribution to a candidate or a candidate’s authorized committee, except as otherwise

limited in this chapter.

     (4) “Contributions” and “expenditures” include all transfers of money, credit or debit card

transactions, on-line or electronic payment systems such as “pay pal,” paid personal services, or

other thing of value to or by any candidate, committee of a political party, or political action

committee or ballot question advocate. A loan shall be considered a contribution of money until it

is repaid.

     (5) “Earmarked” means a designation, instruction, or encumbrance, whether direct or

indirect, express or implied, oral or written, that results in all or any part of a contribution or

expenditure being made to, or expended on behalf of, a clearly identified candidate or a candidate’s

authorized committee.

     (6) “Election” means any primary, general, or special election or town meeting for any

public office of the state, municipality, or district, or for the determination of any question

submitted to the voters of the state, municipality, or district.

     (7) “Election cycle” means the twenty-four month (24) period commencing on January 1

of odd number years and ending on December 31 of even number years; provided, with respect to

the public financing of election campaigns of general officers under §§ 17-25-19, 17-25-20, and

17-25-25, “election cycle” means the forty-eight month (48) period commencing on January 1 of

odd numbered years and ending December 31 of even numbered years.

     (8) "Electronic mail" or "email" means communication, information or messages

distributed by electronic means from a computer, a cell phone or other electronic device to one or

more recipients via a network.

     (8)(9) “In-kind contributions” means the monetary value of other things of value or paid

personal services donated to, or benefiting, any person required to file reports with the board of

elections.

     (9)(10) “Other thing of value” means any item of tangible real or personal property of a

fair-market value in excess of one hundred dollars ($100).

     (10)(11) “Paid personal services” means personal services of every kind and nature, the

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cost or consideration for which is paid or provided by someone other than the committee or

candidate for whom the services are rendered, but shall not include personal services provided

without compensation by persons volunteering their time.

     (12) "Messaging" means digital communication.

     (11)(13) “Person” means an individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation,

union, charity, and/or any other organization. The term “person” shall not include any exempt

nonprofit as defined herein or any organization described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as

amended from time to time, for the purposes of chapter 25.3 of title 17 only.

     (12)(14) “Political action committee” means any group of two (2) or more persons that

accepts any contributions to be used for advocating the election or defeat of any candidate or

candidates. Only political action committees that have accepted contributions from fifteen (15) or

more persons in amounts of ten dollars ($10.00) or more within an election cycle shall be permitted

to make contributions, and those committees must make contributions to at least five (5) candidates

for state or local office within an election cycle.

     (13)(15) “Public office” means any state, municipal, school, or district office or other

position that is filled by popular election, except political party offices. “Political party offices”

means any state, city, town, ward, or representative or senatorial district committee office of a

political party or delegate to a political party convention, or any similar office.

     (14)(16) “State” means state of Rhode Island.

     (15)(17) “Testimonial affair” means an affair of any kind or nature including, but not

limited to, cocktail parties, breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, dances, picnics, or similar affairs

expressly and directly intended to raise campaign funds in behalf of a candidate to be used for

nomination or election to a public office in this state, or expressly and directly intended to raise

funds in behalf of any state or municipal committee of a political party, or expressly and directly

intended to raise funds in behalf of any political action committee.

     (18) "Text" means an electronic communication sent by and reviewed by a cell or mobile

phone.

     (16)(19) “Electioneering communication” means any print, broadcast, cable, satellite, or

electronic media communication not coordinated, as set forth in § 17-25-23, with any candidate,

authorized candidate campaign committee, or political party committee and that unambiguously

identifies a candidate or referendum and is made either within sixty (60) days before a general or

special election or town meeting for the office sought by the candidate or referendum; or thirty (30)

days before a primary election, for the office sought by the candidate; and is targeted to the relevant

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electorate.

     (i) A communication, to include, but not limited to, electronic mail (email), a text or any

communication or messaging sent over the Internet, that refers to a clearly identified candidate or

referendum is “targeted to the relevant electorate” if the communication can be received by two

thousand (2,000) or more persons in the district the candidate seeks to represent or the constituency

voting on the referendum.

     (ii) Exceptions: The term “electioneering communication” does not include:

     (A) A communication appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed

through the facilities of any broadcasting station, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by

any political party, political committee, or candidate;

     (B) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or forum conducted pursuant to

regulations adopted by the board of elections or that solely promotes such a debate or forum and is

made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum;

     (C) A communication made by any business entity to its members, owners, stockholders,

or employees;

     (D) A communication over the internet, except for (I) Communications placed for a fee on

the website of another person, business entity, or political action committee; and (II) Websites

formed primarily for the purpose, or whose primary purpose is, to expressly advocate the election

or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the passage or defeat of a referendum; or (III) an

electronic mail or Internet communication provided pursuant to subsection (19)(i) of this section;

or

     (E) Any other communication exempted under such regulations as the board of elections

may promulgate (consistent with the requirements of this paragraph) to ensure the appropriate

implementation of this paragraph.

     (17)(20) “Independent expenditure” means an expenditure that, when taken as a whole,

expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or the passage or defeat

of a referendum, or amounts to the functional equivalent of such express advocacy, and is in no

way coordinated, as set forth in § 17-25-23, with any candidate’s campaign, authorized candidate

committee, or political party committee. An expenditure amounts to the functional equivalent of

express advocacy if it can only be interpreted by a reasonable person as advocating the election,

passage, or defeat of a candidate or referendum, taking into account whether the communication

mentions a candidate or referendum and takes a position on a candidate’s character, qualifications,

or fitness for office. An independent expenditure is not a contribution to that candidate or

committee.

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     (i) Exceptions: The term “independent expenditure” does not include:

     (A) A communication appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed

through the facilities of any broadcasting station, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by

any political party, political committee, or candidate;

     (B) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or forum conducted pursuant to

regulations adopted by the board of elections or that solely promotes such a debate or forum and is

made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum;

     (C) A communication made by any business entity to its members, owners, stockholders,

or employees;

     (D) A communication over the internet, except for (I) Communications placed for a fee on

the website of another person, business entity, or political action committee; and (II) Websites

formed primarily for the purpose, or whose primary purpose is, to expressly advocate the election

or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the passage or defeat of a referendum; or

     (E) Any other communication exempted under such regulations as the board of elections

may promulgate (consistent with the requirements of this paragraph) to ensure the appropriate

implementation of this paragraph.

     (18)(21) “Covered transfer” means any transfer or payment of funds by any person,

business entity, or political action committee to another person, business entity, or political action

committee if the person, business entity, or political action committee making the transfer: (i)

Designates, requests, or suggests that the amounts be used for independent expenditures or

electioneering communications or making a transfer to another person for the purpose of making

or paying for such independent expenditures or electioneering communications; (ii) Made such

transfer or payment in response to a solicitation or other request for a transfer or payment for the

making of or paying for independent expenditures or electioneering communications or making a

transfer to another person for the purpose of making or paying for such independent expenditures

or electioneering communications; (iii) Engaged in discussions with the recipient of the transfer or

payment regarding independent expenditures or electioneering communications or making a

transfer to another person for the purpose of making or paying for such independent expenditures

or electioneering communications; or (iv) Made independent expenditures or electioneering

communications in an aggregate amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more during the two-

year (2) period ending on the date of the transfer or payment, or knew or had reason to know that

the person receiving the transfer or payment made such independent expenditures or electioneering

communications in such an aggregate amount during that two-year (2) period.

     (A) Exceptions: The term “covered transfer” does not include:

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     (I) A transfer or payment made by a person, business entity, or political action committee

in the ordinary course of any trade or business conducted by the person, business entity, or political

action committee or in the form of investments made by the person, business entity, or political

action committee; or

     (II) A transfer or payment made by a person, business entity, or political action committee

if the person, business entity, or political action committee making the transfer prohibited, in

writing, the use of such transfer or payment for independent expenditures, electioneering

communications, or covered transfers and the recipient of the transfer or payment agreed to follow

the prohibition and deposited the transfer or payment in an account that is segregated from any

account used to make independent expenditures, electioneering communications, or covered

transfers.

     (19)(22) For the purposes of chapter 25.3 of title 17, “donation” means all transfers of

money, credit or debit card transactions, on-line or electronic payment systems such as “pay pal,”

paid personal services, or other thing of value to or by any person, business entity, or political

action committee. A loan shall be considered a donation of money until it is repaid.

     (20)(23) For the purposes of chapter 25.3 of title 17, “donor” means a person, business

entity, or political action committee that makes a donation.

     (21)(24) “Exempt nonprofit” means any organization described in § 501(c)(4) of the

Internal Revenue Code that spends an aggregate annual amount of no more than ten percent (10%)

of its annual expenses or no more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), whichever is less, on

independent expenditures, electioneering communications, and covered transfers as defined herein

and certifies the same to the board of elections seven (7) days before and after a primary election

and seven (7) days before and after a general or special election.

     (22)(25) For purposes of chapter 25.3 of title 17, “referendum” means the same as the

definition set forth in § 17-5-1.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 17-25.3 of the General Laws entitled "Independent Expenditures and

Electioneering Communications" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     17-25.3-5. Definitions.

     As used in this chapter, words and terms shall have the same meaning as defined in § 17-

25-3.

     SECTION 3. Sections 17-25.3-1, 17-25.3-2, 17-25.3-3 and 17-25.3-4 of the General Laws

in Chapter 17-25.3 entitled "Independent Expenditures and Electioneering Communications" are

hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-25.3-1. Independent expenditures and electioneering communications for

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elections.

     (a) It shall be lawful for any person, business entity or political action committee, not

otherwise prohibited by law and not acting in coordination with a candidate, authorized candidate

campaign committee, political action committee, or political party committee, to expend personally

from that person’s own funds a sum which is not to be repaid to him or her for any purpose not

prohibited by law to support or defeat a candidate or referendum. Whether a person, business entity

or political action committee is “acting in coordination with a candidate, authorized candidate

campaign committee, political action committee or political party committee” for the purposes of

this subsection shall be determined by application of the standards set forth in § 17-25-23. All terms

used in this chapter shall have the same meaning as defined in § 17-25-3.

     (b) Any person, business entity or political action committee making independent

expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or covered

transfers shall report all such campaign finance expenditures and expenses to the board of elections,

provided the total of the money so expended exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000) within a

calendar year, to the board of elections within seven (7) days of making the expenditure.

     (c) A person, business entity or political action committee who makes or contracts to make

independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or

covered transfers with an aggregate value of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more shall

electronically file a campaign finance report to the board of elections describing the expenditures.

For purposes of the provisions of this section, an electronic mail (email), text or Internet

communication which can be received by two thousand (2,000) or more persons shall be presumed

to have an aggregate value in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000).

     (d) After a person, business entity or political action committee files a report under

subsection (b), the person, business entity or political action committee shall file an additional

report after each time the person, business entity or political action committee makes or contracts

to make independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or

text, or covered transfers aggregating an additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) with respect to

the same election as that to which the initial report relates.

     (e) When a report is required by subsection (c) or (d) of this section within thirty (30) days

prior to the election to which the expenditure was directed, it shall be filed within twenty-four (24)

hours of the expenditure. When such a report is required at any other time, it shall be filed within

seven (7) days after the expenditure.

     (f) Reports of independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including

electronic mail or text, or covered transfers by a person shall contain the name, street address, city,

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state, zip code, occupation, employer (if self-employed, the name and place of business), of the

person responsible for the expenditure, the name, street address, city, state, and zip code of the

person receiving the expenditure the date and amount of each expenditure, and the year to date

total.

     (g) The report shall also include a statement identifying the candidate or referendum that

the independent expenditure or electioneering communication including electronic mail or text, is

intended to promote the success or defeat, and affirm under penalty of false statement that the

expenditure is not coordinated with the campaign in question, and provide any information that the

board of elections requires to facilitate compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

     (h) Reports of independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including

electronic mail or text, or covered transfers by a person, business entity or political action

committee shall also disclose the identity of all donors of an aggregate of one thousand dollars

($1,000) or more to such person, business entity or committee within the current election cycle, if

applicable, unless the person, business entity or political action committee has established a

separate campaign-related account for independent expenditures, electioneering communications,

including electronic mail or text, and covered transfers as detailed in § 17-25.3-2 in which case this

paragraph applies only to donors to the person’s, business entity’s or political action committee’s

separate campaign-related account; provided that no person, business entity, or political action

committee shall be required to disclose in a report to the board of elections the identity, which

includes name, address, place of employment, and donation amount, of any donor who makes no

donation to such person, business entity, or political action committee after the date of enactment

of this section.

     (i) If a person, business entity or political action committee and a donor mutually agree, at

the time a donation, payment, or transfer to the person, business entity or political action committee

which is required to disclose the identification under subsection (f) that the person, business entity

or political action committee will not use the donation, payment, or transfer for independent

expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or covered

transfers, then not later than thirty (30) days after the person, business entity or political action

committee receives the donation, payment, or transfer the person, business entity or political action

committee shall transmit to the donor a written certification by the chief financial officer of the

person, business entity or political action committee (or, if the organization does not have a chief

financial officer, the highest ranking financial official of the organization) that:

     (1) The person, business entity or political action committee will not use the donation,

payment, or transfer for independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including

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electronic mail or text, or covered transfers; and

     (2) The person, business entity or political action committee will not include any

information on the donor in any report filed by the person, business entity or political action

committee under this section with respect to independent expenditures, electioneering

communications, including electronic mail or text, or covered transfers, so that the donor will not

be required to appear in the list of donors.

     (3) Exception for payments made pursuant to commercial activities. Subsections (e) and

(f) do not apply with respect to any payment or transfer made pursuant to commercial activities in

the regular course of a person’s, business entity’s or political action committee’s business.

     (j) For the purposes of this chapter, two (2) or more entities (other than an exempt nonprofit

as defined in § 17-25-3 or an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended

from time to time) are treated as a single entity if the entities:

     (1) Share the majority of members on their boards of directors;

     (2) Share two (2) or more officers;

     (3) A candidate committee and a political committee other than a candidate committee are

for the purposes of this section treated as a single committee if the committees both have the

candidate or a member of the candidate’s immediate family as an officer;

     (4) Are owned or controlled by the same majority shareholder or shareholders or persons;

     (5) Are in a parent-subsidiary relationship; or

     (6) Have bylaws so stating.

     17-25.3-2. Optional use of separate campaign-related account by person, business

entity or political action committee for independent expenditures, electioneering

communications, and covered transfers.

     (a) A person, business entity or political action committee may make disbursements for

independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or

covered transfers using amounts from a bank account established and controlled by the person,

business entity or political action committee to be known as the separate campaign-related account

(hereafter in this section referred to as the “account”), which shall be maintained separately from

all other accounts of the person, business entity or political action committee and which shall

consist exclusively of funds that were paid directly to such account by one or more person, business

entity, or political action committee other than the person, business entity, or political action

committee that controls the account. A person, business entity, or political action committee shall

not make transfers from its general treasury into an account established under this section that such

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person, business entity, or political action committee controls.

     (b) Mandatory use of account after establishment. If a person, business entity or political

action committee establishes an account under this section, it may not make disbursements for

independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or

covered transfers from any source other than amounts from the account.

     (c) Exclusive use of account for independent expenditures, electioneering communications,

including electronic mail or text, and covered transfers. Amounts in the account shall be used

exclusively for disbursements by the person, business entity or political action committee for

independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text, or

covered transfers. After such disbursements are made, information with respect to deposits made

to the account shall be disclosed in accordance with subsection 17-25.3-1(f).

     17-25.3-3. Disclaimers.

     (a) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an

independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication for any written, typed, or other

printed communication, including electronic mail or text, unless such communication bears upon

its face the words “Paid for by” and the name of the entity, the name of its chief executive officer

or equivalent, and its principal business address. In the case of a person, business entity or political

action committee making or incurring such an independent expenditure or electioneering

communication, including electronic mail or text, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under

§ 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3)

of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding

internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization

organized under Section 527 of said code, such communication shall also bear upon its face the

words “Top Five Donors” followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest

aggregate donations to such person, business entity or political action committee during the twelve

(12) month period before the date of such communication, provided that no donor shall be listed

who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business

entity, or political action committee.

     (b) The provisions of subsections (a) of this section shall not apply to:

     (1) Any editorial, news story, or commentary published in any newspaper, magazine or

journal on its own behalf and upon its own responsibility and for which it does not charge or receive

any compensation whatsoever;

     (2) Political paraphernalia including pins, buttons, badges, emblems, hats, bumper stickers

or other similar materials; or

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     (3) Signs or banners with a surface area of not more than thirty-two (32) square feet.

     (c) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an

independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication, including electronic mail or

text, for paid television advertising or paid Internet video advertising, unless at the end of such

advertising there appears simultaneously, for a period of not less than four (4) seconds:

     (1) A clearly identifiable video, photographic or similar image of the entity’s chief

executive officer or equivalent; and

     (2) A personal audio message, in the following form: “I am (name of entity’s chief

executive officer or equivalent), (title) of (entity), and I approved its content.”

     (3) In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring

such an independent expenditure or electioneering communication, including electronic mail or

text, which person, business entity or political action committee is a tax-exempt organization under

§ 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3)

of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding

internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization

organized under Section 527 of said code, such advertising shall also include a written message in

the following form: “The top five (5) donors to the organization responsible for this advertisement

are” followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations

during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such advertisement, provided that no donor

shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person,

business entity, or political action committee.

     (d) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an

independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication, including electronic mail or

text, for paid radio advertising or paid Internet audio advertising, unless the advertising ends with

a personal audio statement by the entity’s chief executive officer or equivalent;

     (1) Identifying the entity paying for the expenditure; and

     (2) A personal audio message, in the following form: “I am (name of entity’s chief

executive officer or equivalent), (title), of (entity), and I approved its content.”

     (3) In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring

such an independent expenditure or electioneering communication, including electronic mail or

text, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as

defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States,

as amended from time to time, or an organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such

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advertising shall also include:

     (A) An audio message in the following form: “The top five (5) donors to the organization

responsible for this advertisement are” followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making

the largest aggregate donations during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such

advertisement, provided that no donor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report

to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee; or

     (B) In the case of such an advertisement that is thirty (30) seconds in duration or shorter,

an audio message providing a website address that lists such five (5) persons or entities, provided

that no contributor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of

elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee. In such case, the person,

business entity or political action committee shall establish and maintain such a website with such

listing for the entire period during which such person, business entity or political action committee

makes such advertisement.

     (e) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an

independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication, including electronic mail or

text, for automated telephone calls, unless the narrative of the telephone call identifies the person,

business entity or political action committee making the expenditure and its chief executive officer

or equivalent. In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or

incurring such an independent expenditure, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under §

501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3)

of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding

internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization

organized under Section 527 of said code, such narrative shall also include an audio message in the

following form: “The top five (5) donors to the organization responsible for this telephone call are”

followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations during

the twelve (12) month period before the date of such telephone call, provided that no donor shall

be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person,

business entity, or political action committee.

     17-25.3-4. Penalties.

     (a) Any person who willfully and knowingly violates the provisions of this chapter shall,

upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars

($1,000) per violation.

     (b) The state board of elections may impose a civil penalty upon any person, business

entity, or political action committee who violates the provisions of this chapter in the amount of

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one thousand dollars ($1,000), or up to one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the aggregate amount

of the independent expenditures, electioneering communications, including electronic mail or text,

or covered transfers per violation, whichever is greater.

     SECTION 4. 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

***

     This act would include electronic mail or text, which can be received by two thousand

(2,000) or more persons, to those independent expenditures that must be reported under this act.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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