AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEFINITION OF A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION AND THE FILING OF CERTAIN REPORTS BY CAMPAIGN TREASURERS.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEFINITION OF A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION AND THE FILING OF CERTAIN REPORTS BY CAMPAIGN TREASURERS.

This bill codifies the term “slate committee” for purposes of campaign finance and the Citizens' Election program. It defines it as a political committee formed by at least two candidates that will serve as the sole campaign funding vehicle (1) for nomination or election to any municipal office, (2) in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, or (3) for the position of town committee member. Although the term “slate committee” is not currently used in statutes, the law does govern the activities of political committees formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a candidate or referendum question (commonly referred to as “slate committees. ”) (For example, CGS §§ 9-603 dictates where campaign finance statements are filed, -604 addresses the formation of candidate committees, -608 distribution of surplus campaign funds. )

The bill expands the list of services and items that are not considered campaign contributions. Only campaign contributions and expenditures must be publicly disclosed in campaign finance statements; thus candidates are not required to disclose the value of the services or items.

The bill eliminates a requirement for candidate committees, political committees (known as PACs), and party committees to report certain contributions in periodic campaign finance statements. By law, candidate committees, PACs, and party committees that raise or spend over $ 1,000 during a primary or election campaign, or a calendar year, whichever is applicable, file periodic campaign finance statements of their contribution receipts and expenditures with the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

It provides that a committee's campaign treasurer cannot be penalized for failing to disclose the name and address of any person or business that purchases space in an ad book and the aggregate amount spent on the ads if the person or business fails to provide the information.

The bill expands the list of services and items that are not considered contributions and generally makes those for party committees applicable to slate committees. It does this by exempting:

1. the cost of donated food and drinks, up to a total of $ 50, to be consumed at a single slate or party committee meeting, other than a fundraiser and

2. up to $ 400 in discounted food and drinks sold to a slate committee during a calendar year or election cycle, as applicable.

The bill (1) makes the current exemption of up to $ 200 in discounted food for candidates applicable for an election cycle, rather than a single election and (2) expands the current exemption of up to a total of $ 400 in a current year for all party committees to up to $ 400 for each party committee.

The bill (1) raises the exemption for costs associated with hosting a house party (i. e. , cost of invitations, food, drinks, and using real and personal property), (2) extends the house party exemption to the community room in a person's residential facility, and (3) creates house party exemptions for two or more people living in the same household.

Under the bill, the expenditure thresholds for candidate parties are per election cycle and those on behalf of party or slate committees are per election cycle or calendar year, whichever is applicable. Table 1 shows the exemptions.

*Current law limits individuals to a total of $ 400 for all party committees; the bill applies the exemption to each such committee.

**An individual may spend up to $ 800 per party or slate committee per calendar year or election cycle, as applicable.

The bill eliminates a requirement for candidate committees, PACs, and party committees to include in their periodic campaign finance statements:

1. the total amount and denomination of money received from anonymous contributors;

2. the names of people who purchase items at a fundraiser that total $ 50 or less; and

3. the names of people who donate up to $ 50 in food or drinks for a slate or party committee meeting.

It requires these committees to indicate in these statements whether a person contributing an aggregate of over $ 400 to a slate committee financing a candidate for chief executive officer of a town, city, or borough has, or is associated with a business that has, a contract valued at over $ 5,000 with the town, city, or borough.

sHB 6663, also favorably reported by the Government Administration and Elections Committee, exempts certain activities and donations from the definition of “contribution. ”

sHB 6662, favorably reported by the Government Administration and Elections Committee makes changes to the procedures and requirements for periodic campaign finance statements.

Yea

Nay

(03/30/2009)


	Individual Candidate		Party Committee		Slate Committee
Exemption for:	*Current Law*	*Bill*	*Current Law*	*Bill*	*Current Law*	*Bill*
Individual	$ 200	$ 400	$ 400*	$ 400**	N/A	$ 400**
2 or More People Sharing the Same Household	N/A	$ 800	N/A	$ 800	N/A	$ 800