Brief⁽¹⁾

The bill makes numerous changes to the Campaign Finance Act and governmental ethics statutes by:

• �Changing the name of the Commission on Governmental Standards and Conduct to the Governmental Ethics Commission. (Sec.1(b) with conforming amendments throughout the bill.)



• �Including in the definitions of the terms "expenditure" and "contribution" language that directly ties those terms to express advocacy in a candidate election. (Sec. 4 with conforming amendments throughout the bill.) The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the definition of "contribution" and "expenditure" to include, in the definition, anything of value given to or made by a candidate, committee, party committee, or political committee for the express purpose of nominating, electing, or defeating a clearly identified candidate. The Senate Committee of the Whole also amended the definition of "expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a clearly identified candidate" by deleting language which refers to any communication that could be reasonably interpreted as supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination, election, or defeat. In addition, the Senate Committee of the Whole expanded the definition of "political committee" to include individuals who make contributions to, or expenditures for, the nomination, election, or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.

• �Requiring party committees and political committees (PACs) to adopt descriptive names. (Sec. 5)

The Senate Committee of the Whole restored current language concerning reporting requirements of persons who receive a contribution for a candidate, candidate committee, party committee, or political committee. (Sec. 7)

• �Requiring sponsor identification (chairperson, treasurer, or responsible individual) on brochures, fliers, and other material in candidate campaigns if the sponsor spends $2,500 or more in a calendar year. One of those same individuals would have to be identified in candidate campaign advertisements broadcast or published in periodicals. (Sec. 11) The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the bill to require the identification of a sponsoring organization in any candidate campaign advertisement broadcast.



• �Permitting use of campaign funds to pay membership dues or make donations to community service or civic organizations; pay for tickets to meals and special events sponsored by local community organizations; and pay for greeting cards mailed to voters or constituents. The bill would prohibit the use of campaign funds to pay interest or other finance charges to the candidate or the candidate's spouse. (Sec. 12)



• �Requiring that candidates for local office who intend to receive or spend less than $500 for a campaign to file affidavits in the county where their names are on the ballot. (Sec. 14)

Background

The House Committee on Governmental Organization and Elections and the Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government recommended the bill favorably for passage.

The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the definition of "contribution," "expenditure," "expressly advocate," and "political committee." In addition, the Senate Committee of the Whole amended the bill to require the identification of a sponsoring organization for campaign advertisement broadcasts.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.