21-A §1056-B. Ballot question committees
Title 21-A: ELECTIONS
Chapter 13: CAMPAIGN REPORTS AND FINANCES
Subchapter 4: REPORTS BY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES
§1056-B. Ballot question committees
A person not defined as a political action committee who receives contributions or makes expenditures, other than by contribution to a political action committee, aggregating in excess of $5,000 for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a campaign as defined by section 1052, subsection 1, must file reports with the commission in accordance with this section. For the purposes of this section, "campaign" does not include activities to promote or defeat or in any way influence the nomination or election of a candidate. Within 7 days of receiving contributions or making expenditures that exceed $5,000, the person shall register with the commission as a ballot question committee. For the purposes of this section, expenditures include paid staff time spent for the purpose of influencing in any way a campaign. The commission must prescribe forms for the registration, and the forms must include specification of a treasurer for the committee, any other principal officers and all individuals who are the primary fund-raisers and decision makers for the committee. Until July 31, 2011, in the case of a municipal election, the registration and reports must be filed with the clerk of that municipality. Beginning August 1, 2011, in the case of a municipal election, the registration and reports must be filed with the commission. [2009, c. 524, §8 (RPR).]
1. Filing requirements. A report required by this section must be filed with the commission according to the reporting schedule in section 1059. After completing all financial activity, the committee shall terminate its campaign finance reporting in the same manner provided in section 1061. The committee shall file each report required by this section through an electronic filing system developed by the commission unless granted a waiver under section 1059, subsection 5.
[ 2009, c. 190, Pt. A, §20 (AMD) .]
2. Content. A report must contain an itemized account of each expenditure made to and contribution received from a single source aggregating in excess of $100 in any election; the date of each contribution; the date and purpose of each expenditure; the name and address of each contributor, payee or creditor; and the occupation and principal place of business, if any, for any person who has made contributions exceeding $100 in the aggregate. The filer is required to report only those contributions made to the filer for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a campaign and only those expenditures made for those purposes. The definitions of "contribution" and "expenditure" in section 1052, subsections 3 and 4, respectively, apply to persons required to file ballot question reports.
[ 2009, c. 524, §9 (AMD) .]
2-A. Contributions. For the purposes of this section, "contribution" includes, but is not limited to:
A. Funds that the contributor specified were given in connection with a campaign; [2009, c. 524, §10 (AMD).]
B. Funds provided in response to a solicitation that would lead the contributor to believe that the funds would be used specifically for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a campaign; [2009, c. 524, §11 (AMD).]
C. Funds that can reasonably be determined to have been provided by the contributor for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a campaign when viewed in the context of the contribution and the recipient's activities regarding a campaign; and [2009, c. 524, §12 (AMD).]
D. Funds or transfers from the general treasury of an organization filing a ballot question report. [2007, c. 477, §4 (NEW).]
[ 2009, c. 524, §10-12 (AMD) .]
3. Forms. A report required by this section must be on a form prescribed and prepared by the commission. A person filing this report may use additional pages if necessary, but the pages must be the same size as the pages of the form.
[ 1999, c. 729, §8 (NEW) .]
4. Records. A person filing a report required by this section shall keep records as required by this subsection for 4 years following the election to which the records pertain.
A. The filer shall keep a detailed account of all contributions made to the filer for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a campaign and all expenditures made for those purposes. [2009, c. 524, §13 (AMD).]
B. The filer shall retain a vendor invoice or receipt stating the particular goods or services purchased for every expenditure in excess of $50. [2007, c. 477, §4 (NEW).]
[ 2009, c. 524, §13 (AMD) .]
SECTION HISTORY
1999, c. 729, §8 (NEW). 2007, c. 477, §4 (AMD). 2009, c. 190, Pt. A, §20 (AMD). 2009, c. 366, §12 (AFF). 2009, c. 366, §7 (AMD). 2009, c. 524, §8-13 (AMD).