Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
State Government Committee |
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HB 1294
Brief Description: Revising campaign finance reporting requirements for out-of-state political committees.
Sponsors: Representatives McDermott, Haigh, Armstrong, Nixon, Miloscia, Dickerson and Mielke; by request of Public Disclosure Commission.
Brief Summary of Bill |
• Repeals the forfeiture rule for contributions from out-of-state political committees. |
• Exempts out-of-state political committees that already report to the FEC from the requirement to file PDC reports. |
Hearing Date: 2/7/03
Staff: Katie Blinn (786-7114).
Background:
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) enforces the campaign finance laws for candidates and ballot propositions in state and local elections. Political campaigns must document and report almost all contributions and expenditures in campaign finance reports filed with the PDC at regular intervals.
Federal or out-of-state political committees are not required to file reports with the PDC unless they make a contribution to or an expenditure on behalf of a Washington political committee, which requires them to file a C-5 report with the PDC. Contributions received from federal or out-of-state political committees must be reported by the political committee operating in Washington. If the out-of-state political committee fails to file a C-5 report within ten days of the contribution, the campaign must forfeit the contribution to the state.
The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) enforces campaign finance laws for candidates in federal elections. The FEC has a number of methods and schedules for political committees to file reports. Those committees that file monthly must list all contributions and expenditures for a month in a report filed by the 20th of the following month.
Summary of Bill:
Washington political committees are no longer required to forfeit contributions from federal or out-of-state political committees. A federal and out-of-state political committee that makes a contribution to or an expenditure on behalf of a Washington political committee must file a report with the PDC by the 20th of the following month unless it already files regularly with the PDC, in which case it is exempt from the filing requirement.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not Requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.