2018 -- H 7758

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LC004794

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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 - RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND

EXPENDITURES REPORTING

     Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Newberry, Mendonca, Filippi, and
Quattrocchi

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2018

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-25-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-25 entitled "Rhode

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

follows:

     17-25-7. Contents of reports to be filed by treasurers of candidates and committees..

     (a) Each campaign treasurer of a candidate, each state and municipal committee of a

political party, and each political action committee shall keep accurate records and make a full

report, upon a form prescribed by the board of elections, of all contributions received, and

expenditures made, by it in excess of a total of one hundred dollars ($100) from any one source

within a calendar year, in furtherance of the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate or

the approval or rejection of any question submitted to the voters, or at any financial town

meeting, financial town referendum, or other election at which amendments to a city or town

charter are proposed, during the period from the date of the last report, or in the case of the initial

report, beginning on the date of the appointment of the campaign treasurer for state and municipal

committees and political action committees and on the date a person becomes a "candidate" as

defined in § 17-25-3(2) for individual candidates. The report shall contain the name, address, and

place of employment of each person or source from whom the contributions and expenditures in

excess of one hundred dollars ($100) were received or made and the amount contributed or

expended by each person or source. The report shall be filed with the board of elections on the

dates designated in § 17-25-11. The campaign treasurer of the candidate or committee reporting

shall certify to the correctness of each report. Notwithstanding any other provisions contained in

this title, this subsection shall apply to any person or entity advocating the approval or rejection

of any question presented to voters at any financial town meeting, financial town referendum, or

other election at which amendments to a city or town charter are proposed, which shall file

reports of contributions or expenditures in accordance with the filing schedule established by §

17-25-11 if the total of the money so expended exceeds one hundred dollars ($100) in a calendar

year. As used in this subsection, the word "entity" means any political action committee, political

party committee, authorized campaign committee of a candidate or officer holder, corporation,

whether for profit, not-for-profit, or exempt nonprofit pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) of the

Internal Revenue Code, domestic corporation or foreign corporation, as defined in § 7-1.2-106,

financial institution, cooperative, association, receivership, partnership, committee, union,

charity, trust, holding company, firm, joint stock company, public utility, sole proprietorship,

limited partnership, or any other entity recognized by the laws of the United States and/or the

state of Rhode Island.

     (b) Each state and municipal committee of a political party shall also file with the board

of elections, not later than March 1 of each year, an annual report setting forth in the aggregate all

contributions received and all expenditures made during the previous calendar year, whether or

not these expenditures were made, incurred, or authorized in furtherance of the election or defeat

of any candidate. The treasurer of the committee or organization reporting shall certify to the

correctness of each report.

     (c) Each campaign treasurer of a candidate, as defined in § 17-25-3(2), shall file with the

board of elections a copy of every written agreement that is entered into by the candidate and a

committee of a political party, where the agreement pertains to campaign contributions or

expenditures. A copy of the agreement shall be filed within five (5) business days of execution.

The board of elections shall review the agreement to determine if it is in compliance with all

applicable state campaign finance laws.

     (c)(d) Any report filed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall include

contributions received from any "testimonial affair", as defined in § 17-25-3, held since the date

of the most recent report filed.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to any written

agreement entered during the current election cycle and thereafter.

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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 require campaign treasurers to file with the board of elections a copy of

every written agreement that is entered into by a candidate and a committee of a political party,

where the agreement pertains to campaign contributions or expenditures, within five (5) business

days of the agreement being signed. The board of elections would review the agreement to

determine if it is in compliance with all applicable state campaign finance laws.

     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to any written agreement

entered during the current election cycle and thereafter.

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