2022 -- S 2353

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LC004643

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS - EXPENDITURES

REPORTS

     Introduced By: Senators Calkin, Bell, Anderson, Mack, Mendes, and Acosta

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2022

     Referred To: Senate 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, whether the contributor is a lobbyist

registered pursuant to chapter 139.1 of title 42, 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) 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.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS - EXPENDITURES

REPORTS

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     This act would require all campaign schedules of contributions submitted to the board of

elections expressly indicate whether the contributor is a registered lobbyist.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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