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:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-10 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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     17-25-10. Lawful methods of contributing to support of candidates -- Reporting --

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Disposition of anonymous contributions.

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

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

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

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the candidate;

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

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party committee;

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

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action committee.

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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     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

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

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in concert with the candidate's campaign.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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