December 6, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Novak, Melotik, Conley, Gundrum, Mursau, Ortiz-Velez, Penterman and Wichgers, cosponsored by Senators Knodl and James. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
AB760,,22An Act to renumber and amend 11.0202 (2) (d), 11.0505 (3), 11.0605 (3) and 11.1001 (3); to amend 11.0102 (2) (a), 11.0102 (2) (b), 11.0505 (1) (a) 1., 11.0505 (1) (a) 2. (intro.), 11.0505 (1) (a) 3., 11.0505 (1) (b) 1., 11.0505 (1) (b) 2., 11.0505 (1) (b) 3., 11.0505 (1) (b) 4., 11.0605 (1) (a) 1., 11.0605 (1) (a) 2. (intro.), 11.0605 (1) (a) 3., 11.0605 (1) (b) 1., 11.0605 (1) (b) 2., 11.0605 (1) (b) 3., 11.0605 (1) (b) 4., 11.1001 (1) (a) 1., 11.1001 (1) (a) 2. (intro.), 11.1001 (1) (a) 3., 11.1001 (1) (b) 1., 11.1001 (1) (b) 2., 11.1001 (1) (b) 3. and 11.1001 (1) (b) 4.; to repeal and recreate 11.1114; and to create 11.0102 (2) (e), 11.0202 (2) (d) 2., 11.0202 (2) (d) 3., 11.0202 (2) (d) 4., 11.0203 (1) (bd), 11.0303 (1) (bd), 11.0403 (1) (bd), 11.0503 (1) (bd), 11.0505 (3) (a), 11.0505 (3) (b), 11.0505 (3) (c), 11.0603 (1) (bd), 11.0605 (3) (a), 11.0605 (3) (b), 11.0605 (3) (c), 11.0703 (1) (bd), 11.0706, 11.0803 (1) (bd), 11.0903 (1) (bd), 11.1001 (3) (a), 11.1001 (3) (b), 11.1001 (3) (c), 11.1305, 13.62 (12t), 19.55 (2) (e), 19.55 (3) (e) 5. and 6., 19.55 (5) and 19.851 (3) of the statutes; relating to: recommendations from the Ethics Commission regarding campaign finance, lobbying, open records, and closed sessions. AB760,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill implements a number of recommendations from the Ethics Commission (the commission) regarding the operations of the commission and the laws that it administers.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Registration statement information
Under current law, a person who files a registration statement with the commission, or with some other appropriate filing officer, to form a committee for campaign finance purposes must include on the registration statement the name and mailing address of the committee, the committee treasurer, and any other custodian of committee books and accounts. This bill also requires that a person include on a committee registration statement the email address and personal telephone number of the committee treasurer and any other custodian of the committee books and records. In addition, a candidate committee is required to provide the candidate’s email and personal telephone number. Under the bill, the personal telephone numbers provided on the registration statements are confidential and not subject to inspection and copying as a public record.
Second candidate committee
Current law allows, but does not require, an individual who holds a state or local elective office and who seeks a different state or local elective office to form a second candidate committee. Otherwise current law prohibits a candidate from having more than one candidate committee at the same time. For individuals who establish a second candidate committee, as provided under current law, the bill specifies the methods for transferring funds between the two committees, how to report those transfers, and how to dispose of funds remaining when one or both committees terminate.
Conduit; residual funds
Under current law, a conduit must also register with the commission. A conduit is an entity that receives a contribution from an individual, deposits that contribution in an account held by the entity, and disburses that contribution to a political committee at the direction of the individual who made the contribution. The bill specifies what the conduit must do with funds remaining in its possession when the conduit terminates. Under current law, the conduit must first make a good faith effort to return remaining funds to the original contributors, their surviving spouses, or the executors of their estates. Under the bill, if the terminating conduit is unsuccessful in contacting the individuals who made the original contributions, their surviving spouses, or the executors of their estates, the conduit may donate those remaining funds to the common school fund or to a charitable organization. However, the conduit may not donate remaining funds to a charitable organization that is affiliated with the conduit or a sponsoring organization. Current law defines a sponsoring organization as an entity that establishes, administers, or financially supports a political action committee or an independent expenditure committee.