SENATE BILL REPORT

ESB 6151

BYSenator Pullen, Johnson, Rasmussen and Talmadge; by request of Public Disclosure Commission

Revising campaign finance reporting law.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 27, 1988; February 2, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Pullen, Chairman; McCaslin, Vice Chairman; Halsan, Hayner, Madsen, Nelson, Newhouse, Niemi, Talmadge.

Senate Staff:Jon Carlson (786-7459)

                  February 2, 1988

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 13, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has identified provisions in the campaign finance reporting sections of the Public Disclosure Act that are in need of revision.  These pertain to contributor thresholds, pre-election and post-election reporting dates, fund-raising activities, earmarked contributions, and several other areas of concern.  In addition, some technical improvements to the language are suggested.

SUMMARY:

The campaign finance provisions of the Public Disclosure Act are revised in a number of areas.

Thresholds:  The threshold for campaign contributions that may be deposited without identifying the contributor is raised from $25 to $50 or $100 depending on the nature of the contribution.  The expenditure reporting threshold is increased to an amount in excess of $50, and the reporting threshold for unpaid orders and debts is increased from $50 to $250.

Reporting Dates:  The 21-day post-election report is changed to the tenth of the month after the election. The time periods for the closing of pre-election and post-election reports are included:  for the 21-day pre-election report, books are closed five days before filing; for the 7-day pre-election report, one day before filing.  The tenth of the month reports are closed the last day of the preceding month.

Fund Raising Activities:  Reporting of all fund-raising activities may be consolidated on two forms.  Included among the fund-raising activities that may be reported on the special forms are events where the ticket price is no more than $25, and auctions where no item value is more than $50.

Last Minute and Earmarked Contributions:  Last minute contributions over $500 may be initially phoned-in to the PDC to satisfy the notification requirement of the special report.  A written report containing the same information must subsequently be filed with the PDC.

The special report form for earmarked contributions is eliminated.  Earmarked contributions are now identified on the regular reporting forms.  The filing of a post-election receipt and expenditure summary by intermediary committees is required. In addition, an earmarked contribution must be spent in accordance with the wishes of the contributor.

Other Revisions:  Additional changes include deleting the special report for candidate to candidate transfers of funds; requiring a political action committee rather than the recipient to file a report of out-of-state contributions; requiring political committees formed within three weeks before an election to register within three days; and redefining "volunteer services" to mean those services for which a person is not paid and those performed outside of the person's normal work hours, if any.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Graham Johnson, PDC (pro)