Second Regular Session Seventy-third General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REREVISED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the Second House LLS NO. 22-0265.01 Bob Lackner x4350 HOUSE BILL 22-1060 House Committees Senate Committees State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Appropriations Appropriations A BILL FOR AN ACT C ONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTRIBUTION LIMITS UNDER101 THE "FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES ACT" FOR CANDIDATES FOR102 SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ,103 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION .104 Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov .) Current law regulating campaign finance does not set limits on contributions to candidates for school district director. Section 2 of the bill: SENATE 3rd Reading Unamended March 28, 2022 SENATE 2nd Reading Unamended March 25, 2022 HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended February 22, 2022 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading February 18, 2022 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Sirota, Kipp, Amabile, Bacon, Benavidez, Bernett, Bird, Boesenecker, Cutter, Duran, Esgar, Exum, Froelich, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Gray, Herod, Hooton, Jodeh, Lindsay, Lontine, McCluskie, McCormick, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Ortiz, Snyder, Sullivan, Tipper, Titone, Valdez A., Weissman, Woodrow SENATE SPONSORSHIP Gonzales, Buckner, Hinrichsen, Jaquez Lewis, Moreno, Story, Winter Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment. Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing statute. Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute. ! Sets aggregate limits on contributions to candidates for school district director from persons other than small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election in the amount of $2,500; and ! Sets aggregate limits on contributions to candidates for school district director from small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election in the amount of $25,000. The bill requires that these aggregate contribution limits be periodically adjusted for inflation consistent with other contribution limits. Section 3 subjects the new contribution limits to existing statutory provisions governing the disclosure of campaign contributions. Section 4 contains requirements governing when a candidate for school district director is required to disclose information concerning campaign contributions and clarifies that such candidates are required to file their disclosure with the secretary of state. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1 SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-45-103, add (15.7)2 and (16.4) as follows:3 1-45-103. Definitions - repeal. As used in this article 45, unless4 the context otherwise requires:5 (15.7) "S CHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR" MEANS A PERSON SERVING6 AS A DIRECTOR ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT7 WITHIN THE STATE, INCLUDING A SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPOSED OF A CITY8 AND COUNTY.9 (16.4) "S PECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION" MEANS ANY SCHOOL ELECTION10 PROVIDED FOR BY LAW AND HELD AT A TIME OTHER T HAN THE REGULAR11 BIENNIAL SCHOOL ELECTION.12 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-45-103.7, amend13 (7); and add (1.7) as follows:14 1-45-103.7. Contribution limits - county offices - school15 district director - treatment of independent expenditure committees16 1060-2- - contributions from limited liability companies - voter instructions1 on spending limits - definitions. (1.7) (a) T HE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF2 AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT A PERSON , EXCLUDING A SMALL DONOR3 COMMITTEE, MAY MAKE TO A CANDI DATE COMMITTEE OF A CANDIDATE4 FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR, AND THAT A CANDIDATE COMMITTEE FOR5 SUCH CANDIDATE MAY ACCEPT FROM ANY ONE PERSON EXCLUDING A6 SMALL DONOR COMMITTEE FOR A REGULAR BIENNIAL SCHOOL ELECTION7 OR SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION, AS APPLICABLE, IS TWO THOUSAND FIVE8 HUNDRED DOLLARS.9 (b) T HE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT10 A SMALL DONOR COMMITTEE MAY MAKE TO A CANDIDATE COMMITTEE OF11 A CANDIDATE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR , AND THAT A CANDIDATE12 COMMITTEE FOR SUCH CANDIDATE MAY ACCEPT FROM ANY ONE SMALL13 DONOR FOR A REGULAR BIENNIAL OR SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION , AS14 APPLICABLE, IS TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.15 (c) A NY MONETARY AMOUNT SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION (1.7)(a) OR16 (1.7)(b) OF THIS SECTION MUST BE ADJUSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE17 ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO OTHER CONTRIBUTION LIMITS AS SPECIFIED IN18 SECTION 3 (13) OF ARTICLE XXVIII OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.19 (d) T HE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTIONS 1-45-108 AND 1-45-109, AS20 APPROPRIATE, APPLY TO ANY CONTRIBUTION MADE OR RECEIVED FOR ANY21 FOUR-YEAR ELECTION CYCLE THAT IS SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (1.7)(a) OR22 (1.7)(b) OF THIS SECTION.23 (7) (a) Any person who believes that a violation of subsection24 (1.5), (1.7), (5), or (6) of this section has occurred may file a written25 complaint with the secretary of state in accordance with section 26 1-45-111.7 SECTION 1-45-111.7 (2).27 1060 -3- (b) Any person who has violated subsection (1.5), (1.7), (5)(a),1 (5)(b), (5)(c), or (6) of this section is subject to a civil penalty of at least2 double and up to five times the amount contributed or received in3 violation of the applicable provision.4 (c) Any person who has violated any of the provisions of5 subparagraph (I) of paragraph (d) of subsection (5) SUBSECTION (5)(d)(I)6 of this section shall be IS subject to a civil penalty of fifty dollars per day7 for each day that the written affirmation regarding the membership of a8 limited liability company has not been filed with or retained by the9 candidate committee, political committee, or political party to which a10 contribution has been made.11 SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-45-108, amend12 (2)(a)(I) introductory portion and (2.5)(a); and add (2.1) and (2.2) as13 follows:14 1-45-108. Disclosure - definitions - repeal. (2) (a) (I) Except as15 provided in subparagraph (V) of this paragraph (a) and subsections (2.5),16 (2.7), and (6) SUBSECTIONS (2)(a)(V), (2.1), (2.5), (2.7), AND (6) of this17 section, such reports that are required to be filed with the secretary of18 state must be filed:19 (2.1) E XCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (2.2) OF20 THIS SECTION, IN THE CASE OF A REGULAR BIENNIAL SCHOOL ELECTION OR21 A SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION, A CANDIDATE COMMITTEE FOR SCHOOL22 DISTRICT DIRECTOR SHALL FILE REPORTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE FILED23 WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE ACCORDING TO THE FILING SCHEDULE24 SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTIONS (2)(a)(I)(A), (2)(a)(I)(C), (2)(a)(I)(D), AND25 (2)(a)(I)(E) OF THIS SECTION.26 (2.2) I N CONNECTION WITH A RECALL ELECTION OF A SC HOOL27 1060 -4- DISTRICT DIRECTOR, REPORTS OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES1 MUST BE FILED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEADLINES THAT ARE SPECIFIED2 IN SUBSECTION (6) OF THIS SECTION.3 (2.5) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2.5)(b) of this section,4 and in addition to any report required to be filed with the secretary of5 state or municipal clerk under this section, all candidate committees, issue6 committees, and political parties must file a report with the secretary of7 state of any contribution of one thousand dollars or more at any time8 within thirty days preceding the date of the primary election, general9 election, or regular biennial school election, OR SPECIAL SCHOOL10 ELECTION, AS APPLICABLE. This report shall MUST be filed with the11 secretary of state no later than twenty-four hours after THE receipt of said12 contribution.13 SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-45-109, amend14 (1)(a)(II) as follows:15 1-45-109. Filing - where to file - timeliness. (1) For the purpose16 of meeting the filing and reporting requirements of this article 45:17 (a) The following shall file with the secretary of state:18 (II) Candidates in special district AND SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR19 elections; the candidate committees of such candidates; political20 committees in support of or in opposition to such candidates; issue21 committees supporting or opposing a special district ballot issue; and22 small donor committees making contributions to such candidates.23 SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30-104, amend24 (1) as follows:25 22-30-104. Conduct of elections. (1) All elections authorized in26 this article shall ARTICLE 30 MUST be conducted pursuant to articles 1 to27 1060 -5- 13 of title 1, C.R.S. For each election, the governing body authorized to1 call the election shall name a designated election official who shall be2 responsible for calling and conducting the authorized election. L IMITS ON3 CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF A4 SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SPECIFIED IN SECTION 1-45-103.7 (1.7). THE5 DISCLOSURE OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS IS GOVERNED IN ACCOR DANCE WITH6 SECTIONS 1-45-108 AND 1-45-109.7 SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30-122, amend8 (4) as follows:9 22-30-122. Election of school directors in new school districts.10 (4) Any person desiring to be a candidate for the office of director of a11 new school district formed under the provisions of this article ARTICLE 3012 shall be an eligible elector of the school district and, if directors in such13 new school district are elected under a director district plan of14 representation, a resident of the director district which the candidate seeks15 to represent. Each such candidate shall MUST be nominated in the manner16 otherwise provided by law for school directors. L IMITS ON17 CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF A18 SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SPECIFIED IN SECTION 1-45-103.7 (1.7). THE19 DISCLOSURE OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS IS GOVERNED IN ACCOR DANCE WITH20 SECTIONS 1-45-108 AND 1-45-109.21 SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-31-103, amend22 (1) as follows:23 22-31-103. Board of education to govern conduct of school24 elections - contract with county clerk and recorder. (1) Except as25 otherwise provided in this article ARTICLE 31, the board of education of26 each school district shall govern the conduct of all school elections in the27 1060 -6- district, shall designate an election official who shall be responsible for1 conducting the election, and shall render all interpretations and make all2 initial decisions as to controversies or other matters arising in the conduct3 of such elections. All elections authorized in this article ARTICLE 31 shall4 be conducted pursuant to the provisions of articles 1 to 13 of title 1.5 C.R.S. LIMITS ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF6 EDUCATION OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SPECIFIED IN SECTION 1-45-103.77 (1.7). THE DISCLOSURE OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS IS GOVERNED IN8 ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 1-45-108 AND 1-45-109.9 SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-31-131, amend10 (1) as follows:11 22-31-131. Election procedures in districts composed of a city12 and county. (1) The regular biennial school election in each school13 district coterminous with a city and county shall be held on the first14 Tuesday in November of each odd-numbered year, shall be conducted and15 supervised by the election commission of the city and county, and shall16 be governed by the provisions of articles 1 to 13 of title 1. C.R.S. LIMITS17 ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF18 SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SPECIFIED IN SECTION 1-45-103.7 (1.7). THE19 DISCLOSURE OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS IS GOVERNED IN ACCOR DANCE WITH20 SECTIONS 1-45-108 AND 1-45-109.21 SECTION 9. Appropriation. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year,22 $7,500 is appropriated to the department of state for use by the23 information technology division. This appropriation is from the24 department of state cash fund created in section 24-21-104 (3)(b), C.R.S.25 To implement this act, the department may use this appropriation for26 hardware/software maintenance.27 1060 -7- SECTION 10. Effective date - applicability. This act takes1 effect July 1, 2022, and applies to the portion of any election cycle or for2 the portion of the calendar year remaining after said date, and for any3 election cycle or calendar year commencing after said date.4 SECTION 11. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,5 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate6 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.7 1060 -8-