Brief Description: Changing the time frame covered by the twenty-one day preelection campaign finance report.

Sponsors: By Representatives Hunt, Chandler, Appleton, Armstrong and Haigh; by request of Public Disclosure Commission.

House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs
Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

Background:

In Washington, the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) is responsible for receiving, processing, and auditing filings of political campaigns, lobbying, and the financial affairs of elected officials and candidates. The jurisdiction of the PDC includes providing access to those filings and ensuring compliance with disclosure provisions, contribution limits, campaign practices, and other campaign finance laws.

Candidates running for state office must file personal financial affairs statements and campaign disclosure reports. Local office candidates in jurisdictions of under 1,000 registered voters as of last year's general election have no reporting requirements. Those candidates in jurisdictions of 1,000 or more registered voters as of last year's general election must file financial affairs statements. Local office candidates in jurisdictions of 5,000 or more registered voters, or covering an entire county, must also file campaign disclosure reports.

At certain intervals of a campaign, a candidate or political committee is required to file a report with the PDC and the county auditor or elections officer of the county in which a candidate resides, or the county where the committee maintains its office or headquarters (if a committee has no office or headquarters, then it is the county in which the committee treasurer resides). A report is due on the 21st day and the 7th day immediately preceding the date on which the election is held. In addition, a report is due the 10th day of the first month after the election. Monthly reports are due on the 10th of any other month if the candidate or committee has received a contribution or made an expenditure in the preceding calendar month that exceeds $200. The report filed 21 days prior to an election must report all contributions received and expenditures made as of the end of the fifth business day before the date of the report.

Summary:

The report filed 21 days prior to an election must report all contributions received and expenditures made as of one business day, instead of five business days, before the date of the report.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   93   0
Senate   45   0

Effective: June 12, 2008