House Bill Analysis

HB 2335

Title: AN ACT Relating to banning certain campaign expenditures.

Brief Description: Banning certain campaign expenditures.

Sponsors: Campbell, Miloscia and Anderson. 

Brief Summary

CPrecludes political party organizations, caucus political committees, county central committees, and legislative district committees from making independent campaign expenditures supporting or opposing a candidate or recall effort, even if the materials or advertising does not name a candidate, office, or political official.

CRestricts permitted expenditures for get-out-the-vote campaigns, voter registration, and absentee ballot information, by not allowing these expenditures to promote or oppose individual candidates, either directly or indirectly, whether or not individual candidates are named in the materials or advertising.

House State Government Committee

Staff: Steve Lundin  (786-7127)

Background:

Initiative Measure No. 134 (I-134) was approved by state voters in 1992.  Among other restrictions, I-134 limited contributions that may be made to: (1) Candidates for state legislative office or to candidates for other state offices; (2) recall efforts against such state officers; and (3) state officers against whom recall charges have been filed.

A bona fide political party or caucus political committee may not make contributions to a candidate for state office in any election cycle exceeding 50 cents multiplied by the number of eligible registered voters in the jurisdiction from which the candidate is elected.  A county central committee or legislative district committee may not make contributions to a candidate for state office in any election cycle exceeding 25 cents multiplied by the number of eligible registered voters in the jurisdiction from which the candidate is elected.

Similar limitations are placed on such party organizations making contributions to a state official against whom recall charges have been filed or to a political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of the state official.

The 50 cent and 25 cent figures are adjusted for inflation by the public disclosure commission.

These restrictions to do not limit contributions or expenditures earmarked for voter registration, absentee ballot information, precinct caucuses, get-out-the-vote campaigns, precinct judges or inspectors, sample ballots, or ballot counting, if these expenditures do not promote individual candidates or constitute political advertising for individual candidates.

     SUMMARY:

A bona fide political party, caucus political committee, county cental committee, legislative committee, or other entity associated with a bona fide political party may not expend money to support or oppose, directly or indirectly, a candidate for public office or to support of oppose the recall of a person holding public office against whom recall charges have been filed.  This prohibition includes political advertizing taken as independent expenditures, whether or not a candidate=s name or public official is mentioned in the advertising.  This restriction does not alter the existing authorized contribution levels that political parties and these affiliated party groups may make.

The existing exemption from contribution limitations, for voter registration, absentee ballot information, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and the like, is limited by not allowing these expenditures to support or oppose individual candidates, either directly or indirectly, whether or not individual candidates are named in the materials or advertising.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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