Sec. 9-605. (Formerly Sec. 9-333g). Political committees; designation of campaign treasurer; registration statement, time for filing, contents of statement. Exception. Limits on establishment of polit
Sec. 9-605. (Formerly Sec. 9-333g). Political committees; designation of campaign treasurer; registration statement, time for filing, contents of statement. Exception. Limits on establishment of political committees. Legislative caucus committees. Legislative leadership committees. (a) The chairperson of each political
committee shall designate a campaign treasurer and may designate a deputy campaign
treasurer. The campaign treasurer and any deputy campaign treasurer so designated
shall sign a statement accepting the designation. The chairperson of each political committee shall file a registration statement described in subsection (b) of this section along
with the statement signed by the designated campaign treasurer and deputy campaign
treasurer with the proper authority, within ten days after its organization, provided that
the chairperson of any political committee organized within ten days prior to any primary, election or referendum in connection with which it intends to make any contributions or expenditures, shall immediately file a registration statement.
(b) The registration statement shall include: (1) The name and address of the committee; (2) a statement of the purpose of the committee; (3) the name and address of its
campaign treasurer, and deputy campaign treasurer if applicable; (4) the name, address
and position of its chairman, and other principal officers if applicable; (5) the name and
address of the depository institution for its funds; (6) the name of each person, other
than an individual, that is a member of the committee; (7) the name and party affiliation
of each candidate whom the committee is supporting and the office or position sought
by each candidate; (8) if the committee is supporting the entire ticket of any party, a
statement to that effect and the name of the party; (9) if the committee is supporting or
opposing any referendum question, a brief statement identifying the substance of the
question; (10) if the committee is established by a business entity or organization, the
name of the entity or organization; (11) if the committee is established by an organization, whether it will receive its funds from the organization's treasury or from voluntary
contributions; (12) if the committee files reports with the Federal Elections Commission
or any out-of-state agency, a statement to that effect including the name of the agency;
(13) a statement indicating whether the committee is established for a single primary,
election or referendum or for ongoing political activities; (14) if the committee is established or controlled by a lobbyist, a statement to that effect and the name of the lobbyist;
(15) the name and address of the person making the initial contribution or disbursement,
if any, to the committee; and (16) any information that the State Elections Enforcement
Commission requires to facilitate compliance with the provisions of this chapter or
chapter 157. If no such initial contribution or disbursement has been made at the time
of the filing of such statement, the campaign treasurer of the committee shall, not later
than forty-eight hours after receipt of such contribution or disbursement, file a report
with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The report shall be in the same form
as statements filed under section 9-608.
(c) The chairman of each political committee shall report any addition to or change
in information previously submitted in a statement of organization to the proper authority
not later than ten days after the addition or change.
(d) A group of two or more individuals who have joined solely to promote the
success or defeat of a referendum question shall not be required to file as a political
committee, make such designations in accordance with subsections (a) and (b) of this
section or file statements pursuant to section 9-608, if the group does not receive or
expend in excess of one thousand dollars for the entire campaign and the agent of such
individuals files a certification with the proper authority or authorities as required under
section 9-603 before an expenditure is made. The certification shall include the name
of the group, or the names of the persons who comprise the group, and the name and
address of the agent which shall appear on any communication paid for or sponsored
by the group as required by section 9-621. If the group receives or expends in excess
of one thousand dollars, the agent shall complete the statement of organization and file
as a political committee not later than three business days thereafter. The agent shall
provide the designated campaign treasurer with all information required for completion
of the statements for filing as required by section 9-608. The filing of a certification
under this subsection shall not relieve the group from compliance with the provisions
of this chapter, and the group shall be considered a political committee established
solely for a referendum question for purposes of the limitations on contributions and
expenditures.
(e) (1) No individual shall establish or control more than one political committee.
The indicia of establishment or control of a political committee by an individual includes
the individual serving as chairperson or campaign treasurer of the committee and may
include, but shall not be limited to, the individual making the initial contribution to the
committee. Such indicia shall not include (A) an individual communicating with (i) an
officer of the political committee, or (ii) any individual establishing or controlling the
political committee, or (B) the individual monitoring contributions made by the political
committee. Any individual who, on December 31, 2006, has established or controls
more than one political committee shall, not later than thirty days after said date, disavow
all but one of such committees, in writing, to the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the establishment of an exploratory committee by an elected public official.
(2) The members of the same political party in a house of the General Assembly may
establish a single legislative caucus committee. The chairperson of each such committee
shall certify the designation of such committee as a legislative caucus committee and
shall file such certification along with the statement of organization pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Each such committee shall be identified in such designation by
the house of the General Assembly in which such legislators serve and the political party
to which they belong. A legislative caucus committee shall not be subject to the limitation
in subdivision (1) of this subsection on the establishment or control of one political
committee by any individual.
(3) The speaker of the House of Representatives, majority leader of the House of
Representatives, president pro tempore of the Senate and majority leader of the Senate
may each establish a single legislative leadership committee, and the minority leader
of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the Senate may each establish
two legislative leadership committees. The chairperson of each such committee shall
certify the designation of such committee as a legislative leadership committee and shall
file such certification along with the statement of organization pursuant to subsection
(a) of this section. Each such committee shall be identified in such designation by the
General Assembly leader who establishes the committee. A legislative leadership committee shall not be subject to the limitation in subdivision (1) of this subsection on the
establishment or control of one political committee by any individual.
(P.A. 86-99, S. 8, 34; P.A. 87-524, S. 2, 7; P.A. 88-296, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-351, S. 6, 28; P.A. 95-144, S. 7; P.A. 96-119,
S. 8, 14; P.A. 02-130, S. 7; Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5, S. 23; P.A. 08-2, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 87-524 added Subsec. (b)(14), re lobbyists; P.A. 88-296 added Subsec. (d) re information required on
each check issued by campaign treasurer of a political committee to a committee; P.A. 91-351 inserted "or position" in
Subsec. (b)(7), transferred former Subsec. (d) to Sec. 9-333i(m) and added new Subsec. (d) re exemption from political
committee and filing requirements for group of individuals joining to promote success or defeat of referendum question;
P.A. 95-144 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision that deputy campaign treasurer serve only in event that campaign
treasurer unable to perform his duties; P.A. 96-119 added provisions in Subsec. (a) to require the designated campaign
treasurer and deputy campaign treasurer to sign and file a statement accepting designation, effective January 1, 1997; P.A.
02-130 amended Subsec. (d) by changing $500 to $1,000 re applicable expenditure limit, effective January 1, 2003, and
applicable to primaries and elections held on or after said date; Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5 amended Subsec. (b) to add
Subdiv. (15) requiring statement to include name and address of person making initial contribution or disbursement to
committee and to require report if no contribution or disbursement has been made at time of filing statement, made a
technical change in Subsec. (c) and added Subsec. (e) prohibiting individuals from establishing or controlling more than
one political committee and authorizing establishment of limited number of legislative caucus committees and legislative
leadership committees, effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after that date; Sec. 9-333g
transferred to Sec. 9-605 in 2007; P.A. 08-2 changed "statement of organization" to "registration statement" in Subsecs.
(a) and (b) and amended Subsec. (b) to replace "by or on behalf of" with "or controlled by" in Subdiv. (14) and add Subdiv.
(16) re information State Elections Enforcement Commission requires to facilitate compliance, effective April 7, 2008.
See Sec. 9-717 re effect of court of competent jurisdiction's prohibiting or limiting the expenditure of funds from the
Citizens' Election Fund established in Sec. 9-701.