SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1021

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Elections, February 20, 2004

Title: An act relating to inspection of political candidates' contributions and expenditures.

Brief Description: Eliminating drop-in inspections of campaign accounts.

Sponsors: House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Nixon and Mielke).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/21/03; 2/20/04 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Berkey, Horn, Kastama and McCaslin.

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: The Public Disclosure Act requires candidates for elective office to document and report almost all contributions and expenditures of the campaign. Political committees must file campaign finance reports at regular intervals with the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) and the county auditor. The books of account must accurately reflect all contributions and expenditures on a current basis within five business days of receipt or expenditure, and within one business day during the last eight days of the campaign.

Political committees must keep the campaign accounts and copies of all campaign finance reports filed with the PDC open for public inspection. On the eighth day before the election, the books must be open for public inspection for at least two consecutive hours between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the principal headquarters of the campaign, at the address of the treasurer, or at another location authorized by the commission. For the week prior to the election, the books must be open for public inspection by appointment between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the location designated by the campaign. Neither the candidate nor the campaign may refuse a request for an appointment, and the appointment must be allowed within 24 hours of the date and time requested.

Summary of Bill: Political committees are no longer required to keep the campaign accounts and the campaign finance reports made to the PDC open for public inspection for at least two hours on the eighth day before the election. Instead, for the eight days before the election, committees must make the books and reports available for inspection by appointment sometime between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the location designated by the campaign. Copies of these PDC reports may be maintained in paper or electronic form.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The safety of the campaign staff is the most important consideration. This change actually increases the access the public has to these documents. This is a sensible change to the law.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Doug Ellis, PDC (pro).