2013 -- H 5385

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LC00984

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS - EXPENDITURES

REPORTING

     Introduced By: Representatives Lima, Lombardi, O`Neill, Dickinson, and Malik

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2013

     Referred To: House Judiciary

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. -- (a) No contribution shall be made or received, and

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no expenditures shall be directly made or incurred, to support or defeat a candidate except

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through:

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      (1) The duly appointed campaign treasurer, or deputy campaign treasurers, of the

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candidates;

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      (2) The duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurers 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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which is not to be repaid to him or her for any purpose not prohibited by law to support or defeat

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a 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, who shall cause the expenditures and expenses to be included in

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his or her reports to the board of elections. Whether a person is "acting in concert with any other

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person or group" for the purposes of this subsection shall be determined by application of the

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standards set forth in section 17-25-23.

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

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

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

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     (d) All individuals, corporations or other businesses hired by any department of the state

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shall be required to publically disclose all political contributions made to any state elected official

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for the past four (4) years prior to their hiring, including, without limitation, their sponsorship of a

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fundraiser for any elected official not presently required to report. This disclosure shall be filed

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with the ethics commission.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00984

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS - EXPENDITURES

REPORTING

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     This act would make several changes to the rules governing the reporting of campaign

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contributions, increasing the period of reporting prior to the donor’s hire and further defining

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what contributions are covered.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00984

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