Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
State Government Committee

HB 2617

Brief Description:  Requiring further information about certain political campaign contributors.

Sponsors:  Representatives Linville, Romero, DeBolt, Quall, Kirby, Alexander, Morris, Dunshee, Bush, Hunt, Tokuda, Miloscia and McDermott.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires candidates to report to the Public Disclosure Commission a contributor's occupation and employer for those people who contribute an aggregate of one hundred dollars or more.

Hearing Date:  1/29/02

Staff:  Catherine Blinn (786‑7114).

Background:

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) was created in 1973 following passage of Initiative 276 in 1972.  The PDC is responsible for enforcing laws relating to personal financial affairs reporting, lobbyist reporting, campaign finance reporting, campaign contribution limits, and independent expenditure reporting.  The PDC receives and provides public access, including website access, to the reports and to other data and information submitted by candidates, elected officials, political committees, lobbyists, and other organizations providing political advertising and independent expenditures.  The PDC is also responsible for enforcing ethics laws for local government officials.

The PDC is authorized to adopt rules to carry out the policies and purposes of the public disclosure laws, including rules regarding the reporting of campaign contributions.  By statute, candidates must report the names and addresses of contributors, the amounts contributed, and the aggregate value of contributions received from a single person.  The PDC adopted a rule in 1993 requiring candidates to also report the occupation and employer of any contributor who contributes an aggregate of one hundred dollars or more.  The PDC amended the rule in December 2001, effective January 7, 2002, to lower the threshold amount requiring occupation and employer reporting to contributions over one hundred dollars.

Summary of Bill:

Candidates are required to report the occupation and the name and address of the employer of contributors who contribute an aggregate of one hundred dollars or more.

Rulemaking Authority:  No express authority.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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