By Mr. Tisei, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 461) of Richard R. Tisei for legislation relative to
independent campaign expenditures and electioneering
communications. Election Laws. |
By Mr. Tisei, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 461) of Richard R. Tisei for legislation relative to
independent campaign expenditures and electioneering
communications. Election Laws. |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 18A of chapter 55 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-
Every individual, group or association not defined as a political action committee, who makes an independent expenditure or expenditures in an aggregate amount exceeding one hundred dollars during any calendar year to produce and disseminate candidate-specific issue advertising or other electioneering communications that advocate, either directly or indirectly, the election or defeat of any candidate or candidates, shall file a report with the director, or with the city or town clerk if such candidate seeks public office at a city or town election, within seven business days after making such independent expenditure or expenditures. For the purposes of this section, the term “electioneering communication” shall mean a public communication, whether in print, broadcast or electronic form, that is released within 30 days of a primary and within 60 days of a general election and seeks to: influence the selection, nomination, election or appointment of one or more candidates to state or local offices; influence one or more state or local ballot initiatives, state or local referenda, state or local constitutional amendments, state or local bond issues, or other state or local ballot issues; influence the selection, appointment, nomination or confirmation of one or more individuals to non-elected state or local offices; or which promotes, supports, attacks or opposes a clearly identified candidate for state or local office, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s position on one or more public policy issues. Such report shall be filed on a form prescribed by the director, and shall state the name and address of the individual, group or association making the expenditure or expenditures; the name of the candidate for state or local office the individual, group or association is advocating the election or defeat of; the name and address of the person or persons to whom the expenditure or expenditures were made; and the total amount or value, the purpose and the date of the expenditure or expenditures.
