SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6677
BYSenators Smith, Kiskaddon, Lee, Zimmerman, Metcalf, Bailey, Nelson and Barr
Regulating campaign contributions and expenditures.
Senate Committee on Law & Justice
Senate Hearing Date(s):February 4, 1988
Senate Staff:Jon Carlson (786-7459)
AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 1988
BACKGROUND:
The amount of money raised and spent in Washington State's legislative campaigns has increased dramatically over the last fifteen years. Concerns have been raised with respect to a select number of individuals and organizations that make large contributions and obtain disproportionate influence over the decisions of public officials. Legislation is suggested which would establish a voluntary campaign expenditure limitation scheme with respect to candidates for statewide and legislative offices.
SUMMARY:
Campaign expenditure limitations are established under certain conditions for candidates seeking election to statewide or legislative offices.
When a candidate files for office, he or she must file a form with the Secretary of State which indicates a willingness or unwillingness to adhere to the campaign expenditure limitations established for that office. If all the candidates for a single office indicate their willingness to abide by the expenditure limitations, each must file a written agreement to that effect with the Secretary of State.
The written agreement to accept expenditure limitations also requires that the candidate accept no campaign contributions that in the aggregate exceed the applicable expenditure limits and spend no more than thirty percent of the expenditure limit in the twenty-one day period preceding the general election.
The campaign expenditure limitations are: $2,000,000 for the Office of Governor, $600,000 for state-wide offices other than governor, $80,000 for the state Senate, and $50,000 for the state House of Representatives. If the representative district consists of half a Senate district, the amount is $25,000.
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) is required to monitor the candidates' compliance with the terms of the campaign expenditure limitation agreements. The Secretary of State must publish notice of any noncompliance in a newspaper of general circulation in the counties where each of the candidates for the relevant office resides. Notice of the noncompliance must be posted at each polling place where the noncomplying candidate's name appears on the ballot.
Private employees may approve voluntary payroll deductions for political committees. Both private and public employees are required to affirmatively approve the deductions on an annual basis. In addition, the political committees accepting payroll deductions must provide each contributor with an annual report which indicates the candidates and the party affiliations of the candidates to whom the political committee contributed during the preceding year and the percentage of contributions spent on the political committee's administrative expenses during the preceding year.
Officers of employee associations are not prohibited from soliciting dues or contributions from members of their associations if the officers notify the employee of the political purposes of the solicitation, as well as the employees right to refuse to contribute without retribution.
No member of the state Senate or House may accept campaign contributions during a legislative session, except that this does not apply to a special session held after the filing period and before the general election, caucuses of major political parties of the Senate or House and a legislator subject to a recall.
The special report pertaining to contributions made during the latter stages of a primary or general election is made applicable to expenditures. The maximum amount in the aggregate that a candidate or political committee can accept from any one person during the twenty-one days preceding a general election is $30,000 for statewide office and $3,000 for legislative office.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: requested February 1, 1988