General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6530
January Session, 2011 LCO No. 4190
*04190_______GAE*
Referred to Committee on Government Administration and Elections
Introduced by:
(GAE)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 6530
January Session, 2011
LCO No. 4190
*04190_______GAE*
Referred to Committee on Government Administration and Elections
Introduced by:
(GAE)
AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTION LEGAL FUNDS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (3) of section 9-601 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(3) "Political committee" means (A) a committee organized by a business entity or organization, (B) persons other than individuals, or two or more individuals organized or acting jointly conducting their activities in or outside the state, (C) an exploratory committee, (D) a committee established by or on behalf of a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, but does not mean a candidate committee or a party committee, (E) a legislative caucus committee, [or] (F) a legislative leadership committee, or (G) an election legal fund.
Sec. 2. Section 9-601 of the general statutes is amended by adding subdivision (29) as follows (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(NEW) (29) "Election legal fund" means a political committee established by a candidate or former candidate to receive contributions from permitted persons solely to pay for attorney's fees and other legal costs directly related to pursuing or defending a legal case or administrative proceeding arising directly out of the conduct of a candidate or candidate committee in a primary or an election campaign, the electoral process, an election or nomination, including any case arising under this chapter, chapters 156 and 157 and any case to establish eligibility to appear on a ballot or to contest the results of a primary or election.
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 9-601a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(b) As used in this chapter and sections 9-700 to 9-716, inclusive, "contribution" does not mean:
(1) A loan of money made in the ordinary course of business by a national or state bank;
(2) Any communication made by a corporation, organization or association to its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(3) Nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns by any corporation, organization or association aimed at its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(4) Uncompensated services provided by individuals volunteering their time;
(5) The use of real or personal property, and the cost of invitations, food or beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual to a candidate or on behalf of a state central or town committee, in rendering voluntary personal services for candidate or party-related activities at the individual's residence, to the extent that the cumulative value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by the individual on behalf of any single candidate does not exceed two hundred dollars with respect to any single election, and on behalf of all state central and town committees does not exceed four hundred dollars in any calendar year;
(6) The sale of food or beverage for use in a candidate's campaign or for use by a state central or town committee at a discount, if the charge is not less than the cost to the vendor, to the extent that the cumulative value of the discount given to or on behalf of any single candidate does not exceed two hundred dollars with respect to any single election, and on behalf of all state central and town committees does not exceed four hundred dollars in a calendar year;
(7) Any unreimbursed payment for travel expenses made by an individual who on the individual's own behalf volunteers the individual's personal services to any single candidate to the extent the cumulative value does not exceed two hundred dollars with respect to any single election, and on behalf of all state central or town committees does not exceed four hundred dollars in a calendar year;
(8) The payment, by a party committee, political committee or an individual, of the costs of preparation, display, mailing or other distribution incurred by the committee or individual with respect to any printed slate card, sample ballot or other printed list containing the names of three or more candidates;
(9) The donation of any item of personal property by an individual to a committee for a fund-raising affair, including a tag sale or auction, or the purchase by an individual of any such item at such an affair, to the extent that the cumulative value donated or purchased does not exceed fifty dollars;
(10) (A) The purchase of advertising space which clearly identifies the purchaser, in a program for a fund-raising affair sponsored by the candidate committee of a candidate for an office of a municipality, provided the cumulative purchase of such space does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars from any single such candidate or the candidate's committee with respect to any single election campaign if the purchaser is a business entity or fifty dollars for purchases by any other person;
(B) The purchase of advertising space which clearly identifies the purchaser, in a program for a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee, provided the cumulative purchase of such space does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars from any single town committee in any calendar year if the purchaser is a business entity or fifty dollars for purchases by any other person. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subparagraph, the following may not purchase advertising space in a program for a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee: (i) A communicator lobbyist, (ii) a member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist, (iii) a state contractor, (iv) a prospective state contractor, or (v) a principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor. As used in this subparagraph, "state contractor", "prospective state contractor" and "principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor" have the same meanings as provided in subsection (g) of section 9-612;
(11) The payment of money by a candidate to the candidate's candidate committee or political committee that has been established as an election legal fund;
(12) The donation of goods or services by a business entity to a committee for a fund-raising affair, including a tag sale or auction, to the extent that the cumulative value donated does not exceed one hundred dollars;
(13) The advance of a security deposit by an individual to a telephone company, as defined in section 16-1, for telecommunications service for a committee, provided the security deposit is refunded to the individual;
(14) The provision of facilities, equipment, technical and managerial support, and broadcast time by a community antenna television company, as defined in section 16-1, for community access programming pursuant to section 16-331a, unless (A) the major purpose of providing such facilities, equipment, support and time is to influence the nomination or election of a candidate, or (B) such facilities, equipment, support and time are provided on behalf of a political party;
(15) The sale of food or beverage by a town committee to an individual at a town fair, county fair or similar mass gathering held within the state, to the extent that the cumulative payment made by any one individual for such items does not exceed fifty dollars;
(16) An organization expenditure by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee;
(17) The donation of food or beverage by an individual for consumption at a slate, candidate, legislative caucus, legislative leadership or party committee meeting, event or activity that is not a fund-raising affair to the extent that the cumulative value of the food or beverages donated by an individual for a single meeting or event does not exceed fifty dollars;
(18) The value associated with the de minimis campaign activity on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate committee legislative caucus committee, legislative leadership committee, or candidate committee, including for activities undertaken for the benefit of participating and nonparticipating candidates under the Citizens' Election Program of sending of electronic mail or messages from an individual's personal computer or cellular telephone when compensation is not remitted to such individual for the sending of such electronic mail or messages; or
(19) The display of a lawn sign by a human being or on real property.
Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 9-604 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(c) The chairman of a political committee formed to support a single candidate for public office shall, not later than seven days after filing a statement of organization with the proper authority under section 9-603, send the candidate a notice, by certified mail, of such filing. If a candidate (1) does not, within fourteen days after receiving such notice, disavow such committee, in writing, to the proper authority under section 9-603, or (2) disavows such committee within such period, but, at any time before such disavowal, accepts funds from the committee for his campaign, such committee shall be deemed to have been authorized by such candidate and shall constitute a candidate committee for the purposes of this chapter. No candidate shall establish, agree to or assist in establishing, or give his consent or authorization to establishing a committee other than a single candidate committee to promote his candidacy for any public office except that a candidate may establish an exploratory committee and may establish one or more political committees designated as election legal funds to pay for legal fees related to a primary or election and for legal expenses described in subsection (i) of section 9-607, as amended by this act. The candidate shall designate on the statement of organization for the exploratory committee the type of office to which the candidate is determining whether to seek nomination or election, as follows: (A) The General Assembly, (B) a state office, or (C) any other public office. The candidate may also certify on the statement of organization that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office of state representative. Not later than fifteen days after a public declaration by the candidate of the candidate's intention to seek nomination or election to a particular public office, the candidate shall form a single candidate committee, except that in the case of a candidate establishing an exploratory committee for purposes including aiding or promoting the candidate's candidacy for nomination or election to the General Assembly or a state office, the candidate shall form a single candidate committee not later than fifteen days after the date that the campaign treasurer of such exploratory committee is required to file a notice of intent to dissolve the committee under subsection (f) of section 9-608, as amended by this act. As used in this subsection, "state office" has the same meaning as provided in subsection (e) of section 9-610. The candidate shall designate on the statement of organization for a political committee intended as an election legal fund the nature of the legal case or controversy or administrative proceeding for which the committee has been established. If more than one case or controversy or administrative proceeding arises for which a fund is needed, separate election legal funds should be established for each.
Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 9-605 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(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) if the committee is established as an election legal fund, a description of the nature of the case or controversy or administrative proceeding giving rise to the establishment of the committee; and (17) any information that the State Elections Enforcement Commission requires to facilitate compliance with the provisions of this chapter, chapter 156 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, as amended by this act.
Sec. 6. Subsection (e) of section 9-605 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(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 or to the establishment by a current or former candidate of a political committee designated as an election legal fund.
(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.
(4) A current or former candidate may establish a political committee to serve as an election legal fund with respect to a particular case or controversy or administrative proceeding arising from the candidate's campaign. The name of the committee shall be "The (name of current or former candidate) Election Legal Fund"; and the registration statement filed with the commission to establish the committee shall identify the specific civil or criminal court case or administrative proceeding for which the election legal fund was established. The registration statement shall be filed with the commission before the committee solicits or accepts any contributions.
Sec. 7. Subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of section 9-607 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(2) Unless otherwise provided by this chapter, any campaign treasurer, in accomplishing the lawful purposes of his committee, may pay the expenses of: (A) Advertising in electronic and print media; (B) any other form of printed advertising or communications including "thank you" advertising after the election; (C) campaign items, including, but not limited to, brochures, leaflets, flyers, invitations, stationery, envelopes, reply cards, return envelopes, campaign business cards, direct mailings, postcards, palm cards, "thank you" notes, sample ballots and other similar items; (D) political banners and billboards; (E) political paraphernalia, which is customarily given or sold to supporters including, but not limited to, campaign buttons, stickers, pins, pencils, pens, matchbooks, balloons, pads, calendars, magnets, key chains, hats, tee shirts, sweatshirts, frisbees, pot holders, jar openers and other similar items; (F) purchasing office supplies for campaign or political purposes, campaign photographs, raffle or other fund-raising permits required by law, fund-raiser prizes, postage, express mail delivery services, bulk mail permits, and computer supplies and services; (G) banking service charges to maintain campaign and political accounts; (H) subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals which enhance the candidacy of the candidate or party; (I) lease or rental of office space for campaign or political purposes and expenses in connection therewith including, but not limited to, furniture, parking, storage space, utilities and maintenance, provided a party committee or political committee organized for ongoing political activities may purchase such office space; (J) lease or rental of vehicles for campaign use only; (K) lease, rental or use charges of any ordinary and necessary campaign office equipment including, but not limited to, copy machines, telephones, postage meters, facsimile machines, computer hardware, software and printers, provided a party committee or political committee organized for ongoing political activities may purchase office equipment, and provided further that a candidate committee or a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities or an exploratory committee, may purchase computer equipment; (L) compensation for campaign or committee staff, fringe benefits and payroll taxes, provided the candidate and any member of his immediate family shall not receive compensation; (M) travel, meals and lodging expenses of speakers, campaign or committee workers, the candidate and the candidate's spouse for political and campaign purposes; (N) fund raising; (O) reimbursements to candidates and campaign or committee workers made in accordance with the provisions of this section for campaign-related expenses for which a receipt is received by the campaign treasurer; (P) campaign or committee services of attorneys, accountants, consultants or other professional persons for campaign activities, obtaining or contesting ballot status, nomination, or election, and compliance with this chapter and chapters 156 and 157; (Q) purchasing campaign finance reports; (R) repaying permissible campaign loans made to the committee that are properly reported and refunding contributions received from an impermissible source or in excess of the limitations set forth in this chapter; (S) conducting polls concerning any political party, issue, candidate or individual; (T) gifts to campaign or committee workers or purchasing flowers or other commemorative items for political purposes not to exceed one hundred dollars to any one recipient in a calendar year or for the campaign, as the case may be; (U) purchasing tickets or advertising from charities, inaugural committees, or other civic organizations if for a political purpose, for any candidate, a candidate's spouse, a member of a candidate's campaign staff, or members of committees; (V) the inauguration of an elected candidate by that candidate's candidate committee; (W) hiring of halls, rooms, music and other entertainment for political meetings and events; (X) reasonable compensation for public speakers hired by the committee; (Y) transporting electors to the polls and other get-out-the-vote activities on election day; and (Z) any other necessary campaign or political expense.
Sec. 8. Subsection (i) of section 9-607 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(i) The right of any person to expend money for proper legal expenses in maintaining or contesting the results of any election or primary shall not be affected or limited by the provisions of this chapter or chapter 157, provided only sources eligible to contribute to the candidate for the campaign may contribute to [the payment of legal expenses] an election legal fund established by the candidate. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the provisions of subsections (e) to (k), inclusive, of section 9-610 shall apply to any election legal fund established by a candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative.
Sec. 9. Section 9-608 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(a) (1) Each campaign treasurer of a committee, other than a state central committee or an election legal fund, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement with the proper authority in accordance with the provisions of section 9-603, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of January, April, July and October, provided, if such tenth calendar day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on the next business day, (B) on the seventh day preceding each regular state election, except that (i) in the case of a candidate or exploratory committee established for an office to be elected at a municipal election, the statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding a regular municipal election in lieu of such date, and (ii) in the case of a town committee, the statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding each municipal election in addition to such date, and (C) if the committee has made or received a contribution or expenditure in connection with any other election, a primary or a referendum, on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum. The statement shall be complete as of the last day of the month preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed, except that for the statement required to be filed on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum, the statement shall be complete as of seven days immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall cover a period to begin with the first day not included in the last filed statement. In the case of a candidate committee, the statement required to be filed in January shall be in lieu of the statement formerly required to be filed within forty-five days following an election.
(2) Each campaign treasurer of a candidate committee, within thirty days following any primary, and each campaign treasurer of a political committee formed for a single primary, election or referendum, within forty-five days after any election or referendum not held in November, shall file statements in the same manner as is required of them under subdivision (1) of this subsection. If the campaign treasurer of a candidate committee established by a candidate, who is unsuccessful in the primary or has terminated his candidacy prior to the primary, distributes all surplus funds within thirty days following the scheduled primary and discloses the distribution on the postprimary statement, such campaign treasurer shall not be required to file any subsequent statement unless the committee has a deficit, in which case he shall file any required statements in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of this section.
(3) In the case of state central committees, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of January, April and July, provided, if such tenth calendar day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on the next business day, and (B) on the twelfth day preceding any election, the campaign treasurer of each such committee shall file with the proper authority, a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, complete as of the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which such statement is to be filed in the case of statements required to be filed in January, April and July, and complete as of the nineteenth day preceding an election, in the case of the statement required to be filed on the twelfth day preceding an election, and in each case covering a period to begin with the first day not included in the last filed statement.
(4) In the case of a political committee formed as an election legal fund, the campaign treasurer shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission (A) on the tenth calendar day of the months of January, April, July and October, provided, if such tenth calendar day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on the next business day, that is complete as of the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which such statement is to be filed, and (B) not later than thirty calendar days after the conclusion of the legal case or administrative proceeding for which the committee was established and complete as of seven days immediately preceding the filing day.
(b) The statements required to be filed under subsection (a) of this section and subdivisions (2), [and] (3) and (4) of subsection (e) of this section, shall not be required to be filed by: (1) A candidate committee or political committee formed for a single primary or election until such committee receives or expends an amount in excess of one thousand dollars for purposes of the primary or election for which such committee was formed; (2) a political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of any referendum question until such committee receives or expends an amount in excess of one thousand dollars; or (3) a party or political committee organized for ongoing political activities until such committee receives or expends an amount in excess of one thousand dollars for the calendar year except the statements required to be filed on the tenth calendar day in the month of January and on the seventh day preceding any election shall be so filed. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to state central committees or to the statement required to be filed by an exploratory committee upon its termination. A committee which is exempted from filing statements under the provisions of this subsection shall file in lieu thereof a statement sworn under penalty of false statement, indicating that the committee has not received or expended an amount in excess of one thousand dollars.
(c) (1) Each statement filed under subsection (a), (e) or (f) of this section shall include, but not be limited to: (A) An itemized accounting of each contribution, if any, including the full name and complete address of each contributor and the amount of the contribution; (B) in the case of anonymous contributions, the total amount received and the denomination of the bills; (C) an itemized accounting of each expenditure, if any, including the full name and complete address of each payee, including secondary payees whenever the primary or principal payee is known to include charges which the primary payee has already paid or will pay directly to another person, vendor or entity, the amount and the purpose of the expenditure, the candidate supported or opposed by the expenditure, whether the expenditure is made independently of the candidate supported or is an in-kind contribution to the candidate, and a statement of the balance on hand or deficit, as the case may be; (D) an itemized accounting of each expense incurred but not paid, provided if the expense is incurred by use of a credit card, the accounting shall include secondary payees, and the amount owed to each such payee; (E) the name and address of any person who is the guarantor of a loan to, or the cosigner of a note with, the candidate on whose behalf the committee was formed, or the campaign treasurer in the case of a party committee or a political committee or who has advanced a security deposit to a telephone company, as defined in section 16-1, for telecommunications service for a committee; (F) for each business entity or person purchasing advertising space in a program for a fund-raising affair, the name and address of the business entity or the name and address of the person, and the amount and aggregate amounts of such purchases; (G) for each individual who contributes in excess of one hundred dollars but not more than one thousand dollars, in the aggregate, to the extent known, the principal occupation of such individual and the name of the individual's employer, if any; (H) for each individual who contributes in excess of one thousand dollars in the aggregate, the principal occupation of such individual, the name of the individual's employer, if any; (I) for each itemized contribution made by a lobbyist, the spouse of a lobbyist or any dependent child of a lobbyist who resides in the lobbyist's household, a statement to that effect; and (J) for each individual who contributes in excess of four hundred dollars in the aggregate to or for the benefit of any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election to the office of chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, a statement indicating whether the individual or a business with which he is associated has a contract with said municipality that is valued at more than five thousand dollars. Each campaign treasurer shall include in such statement (i) an itemized accounting of the receipts and expenditures relative to any testimonial affair held under the provisions of section 9-609 or any other fund-raising affair, which is referred to in subsection (b) of section 9-601a, as amended by this act, and (ii) the date, location and a description of the affair.
(2) Each contributor described in subparagraph (G), (H), (I) or (J) of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall, at the time the contributor makes such a contribution, provide the information which the campaign treasurer is required to include under said subparagraph in the statement filed under subsection (a), (e) or (f) of this section. Notwithstanding any provision of subdivision (2) of section 9-7b, any contributor described in subparagraph (G) of subdivision (1) of this subsection who does not provide such information at the time the contributor makes such a contribution and any treasurer shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivision (2) of section 9-7b. If a campaign treasurer receives a contribution from an individual which separately, or in the aggregate, is in excess of one thousand dollars and the contributor has not provided the information required by said subparagraph (H) or if a campaign treasurer receives a contribution from an individual to or for the benefit of any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election to the office of chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, which separately, or in the aggregate, is in excess of four hundred dollars and the contributor has not provided the information required by said subparagraph (J), the campaign treasurer: (i) Within three business days after receiving the contribution, shall send a request for such information to the contributor by certified mail, return receipt requested; (ii) shall not deposit the contribution until the campaign treasurer obtains such information from the contributor, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-606; and (iii) shall return the contribution to the contributor if the contributor does not provide the required information within fourteen days after the treasurer's written request or the end of the reporting period in which the contribution was received, whichever is later. Any failure of a contributor to provide the information which the campaign treasurer is required to include under said subparagraph (G) or (I), which results in noncompliance by the campaign treasurer with the provisions of said subparagraph (G) or (I), shall be a complete defense to any action against the campaign treasurer for failure to disclose such information.
(3) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (2) of this subsection, each contributor who makes a contribution to a candidate or exploratory committee for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, state senator or state representative, any political committee authorized to make contributions to such candidates or committees, and any party committee that separately, or in the aggregate, exceeds fifty dollars shall provide with the contribution a certification that the contributor is not a principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor, as defined in subsection (g) of section 9-612, nor a communicator lobbyist or a member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist and shall provide the name of the employer of the contributor. The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall prepare a sample form for such certification by the contributor and shall make it available to campaign treasurers and contributors. Such sample form shall include an explanation of the terms "communicator lobbyist" and "principal of a state contractor or principal of a prospective state contractor". The information on such sample form shall be included in any written solicitation conducted by any such committee. If a campaign treasurer receives such a contribution and the contributor has not provided such certification, the campaign treasurer shall: (A) Not later than three business days after receiving the contribution, send a request for the certification to the contributor by certified mail, return receipt requested; (B) not deposit the contribution until the campaign treasurer obtains the certification from the contributor, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-606; and (C) return the contribution to the contributor if the contributor does not provide the certification not later than fourteen days after the treasurer's written request or at the end of the reporting period in which the contribution was received, whichever is later. If a campaign treasurer deposits a contribution based on a certification that is later determined to be false, the treasurer shall not be in violation of this subdivision.
(4) Contributions from a single individual to a campaign treasurer in the aggregate totaling fifty dollars or less need not be individually identified in the statement, but a sum representing the total amount of all such contributions made by all such individuals during the period to be covered by such statement shall be a separate entry, identified only by the words "total contributions from small contributors".
(5) Each statement filed by the campaign treasurer of a party committee, a legislative caucus committee or a legislative leadership committee shall include an itemized accounting of each organization expenditure made by the committee. Concomitant with the filing of any such statement containing an accounting of an organization expenditure made by the committee for the benefit of a participating candidate for the office of state senator or state representative, such campaign treasurer shall provide notice of the amount and purpose of the organization expenditure to the candidate committee of such candidate.
(6) In addition to the other applicable requirements of this section, the campaign treasurer of a candidate committee of a participating candidate for the office of state senator or state representative who has received the benefit of any organization expenditure shall, not later than the time of dissolving such committee, file a statement with the State Elections Enforcement Commission that lists, if known to such candidate committee, the committee which made such organization expenditure for such candidate's behalf and the amount and purpose of such organization expenditure.
(7) Statements filed in accordance with this section shall remain public records of the state for five years from the date such statements are filed.
(d) At the time of filing statements required under this section, the campaign treasurer of each candidate committee shall send to the candidate a duplicate statement and the campaign treasurer of each party committee and each political committee other than an exploratory committee shall send to the chairman of the committee a duplicate statement. Each statement required to be filed under this section and subsection (g) of section 9-610, shall be deemed to be filed in a timely manner if it is delivered by hand to the office of the proper authority before four-thirty o'clock p.m. or postmarked by the United States Postal Service before midnight on the required filing day. If the day for any such filing falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on the next business day thereafter.
(e) (1) Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter, in the event of a surplus the campaign treasurer of a candidate committee or of a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities, a political committee formed as an election legal fund or an exploratory committee, shall distribute or expend such surplus not later than ninety days after a primary which results in the defeat of the candidate, an election or referendum not held in November or by January thirty-first following an election or referendum held in November, in the following manner:
(A) Such committees may distribute their surplus to a party committee, or a political committee organized for ongoing political activities, return such surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, distribute all or any part of such surplus to the Citizens' Election Fund established in section 9-701 or distribute such surplus to any charitable organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, provided (i) no candidate committee may distribute such surplus to a committee which has been established to finance future political campaigns of the candidate, (ii) a candidate committee which received moneys from the Citizens' Election Fund shall distribute such surplus to such fund, and (iii) a candidate committee for a nonparticipating candidate, as described in subsection (b) of section 9-703, may only distribute any such surplus to the Citizens' Election Fund or to a charitable organization;
(B) Each such political committee established by an organization which received its funds from the organization's treasury shall return its surplus to its sponsoring organization;
(C) (i) Each political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of any referendum question, which does not receive contributions from a business entity or an organization, shall distribute its surplus to a party committee, to a political committee organized for ongoing political activities, to a national committee of a political party, to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, to state or municipal governments or agencies or to any organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended. (ii) Each political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of any referendum question, which receives contributions from a business entity or an organization, shall distribute its surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, to state or municipal governments or agencies, or to any organization which is tax-exempt under said provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a committee formed for a single referendum shall not be required to expend its surplus not later than ninety days after the referendum and may continue in existence if a substantially similar referendum question on the same issue will be submitted to the electorate within six months after the first referendum. If two or more substantially similar referenda on the same issue are submitted to the electorate, each no more than six months apart, the committee shall expend such surplus within ninety days following the date of the last such referendum;
(D) The campaign treasurer of the candidate committee of a candidate who is elected to office may, upon the authorization of such candidate, expend surplus campaign funds to pay for the cost of clerical, secretarial or other office expenses necessarily incurred by such candidate in preparation for taking office; except such surplus shall not be distributed for the personal benefit of any individual or to any organization; and
(E) The campaign treasurer of a candidate committee, or of a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities or an exploratory committee, shall, prior to the dissolution of such committee, either (i) distribute any equipment purchased, including, but not limited to, computer equipment, to any recipient as set forth in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, or (ii) sell any equipment purchased, including but not limited to computer equipment, to any person for fair market value and then distribute the proceeds of such sale to any recipient as set forth in said subparagraph (A).
(2) Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter, the campaign treasurer of the candidate committee of a candidate who has withdrawn from a primary or election may, prior to the primary or election, distribute its surplus to any organization which is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, or return such surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution.
(3) Not later than seven days after such distribution or not later than seven days after all funds have been expended in accordance with subparagraph (D) of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the campaign treasurer shall file a supplemental statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the proper authority, identifying all further contributions received since the previous statement and explaining how any surplus has been distributed or expended in accordance with this section. No surplus may be distributed or expended until after the election, primary or referendum.
(4) In the event of a deficit, the campaign treasurer shall file a supplemental statement ninety days after an election, primary or referendum not held in November or on the seventh calendar day in February, or the next business day if such day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, after an election or referendum held in November, with the proper authority and, thereafter, on the seventh day of each month following if on the last day of the previous month there was an increase or decrease in the deficit in excess of five hundred dollars from that reported on the last statement filed. The campaign treasurer shall file such supplemental statements as required until the deficit is eliminated. If any such committee does not have a surplus or a deficit, the statement required to be filed not later than forty-five days following any election or referendum not held in November or on the seventh calendar day in January, or the next business day if such day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, following an election or referendum held in November, or not later than thirty days following any primary shall be the last required statement.
(f) If an exploratory committee has been established by a candidate pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-604, the campaign treasurer of the committee shall file a notice of intent to dissolve it with the appropriate authority not later than fifteen days after the candidate's declaration of intent to seek nomination or election to a particular public office, except that in the case of an exploratory committee established by a candidate for purposes that include aiding or promoting the candidate's candidacy for nomination or election to the General Assembly or a state office, the campaign treasurer of the committee shall file such notice of intent to dissolve the committee not later than fifteen days after the earlier of: (1) The candidate's declaration of intent to seek nomination or election to a particular public office, (2) the candidate's endorsement at a convention, caucus or town committee meeting, or (3) the candidate's filing of a candidacy for nomination under section 9-400 or 9-405. The campaign treasurer shall also file a statement identifying all contributions received or expenditures made by the exploratory committee since the previous statement and the balance on hand or deficit, as the case may be. In the event of a surplus, the campaign treasurer shall, not later than the filing of the statement, distribute the surplus to the candidate committee established pursuant to said section, except that (A) in the case of a surplus of an exploratory committee established by a candidate who intends to be a participating candidate, as defined in section 9-703, in the Citizens' Election Program, the campaign treasurer may distribute to the candidate committee only that portion of such surplus that is attributable to contributions that meet the criteria for qualifying contributions for the candidate committee under section 9-704 and shall distribute the remainder of such surplus to the Citizens' Election Fund established in section 9-701, and (B) in the case of a surplus of an exploratory committee established for nomination or election to an office other than the General Assembly or a state office (i) the campaign treasurer may only distribute to the candidate committee for nomination or election to the General Assembly or state office of such candidate that portion of such surplus which is in excess of the total contributions which the exploratory committee received from lobbyists or political committees established by lobbyists, during any period in which the prohibitions in subsection (e) of section 9-610 apply, and (ii) any remaining amount shall be returned to all such lobbyists and political committees established by or on behalf of lobbyists, on a prorated basis of contribution, or distributed to any charitable organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended. If the candidate decides not to seek nomination or election to any office, the campaign treasurer shall, within fifteen days after such decision, comply with the provisions of this subsection and distribute any surplus in the manner provided by this section for political committees other than those formed for ongoing political activities, except that if the surplus is from an exploratory committee established by the State Treasurer, any portion of the surplus that is received from a principal of an investment services firm or a political committee established by such firm shall be returned to such principal or committee on a prorated basis of contribution. In the event of a deficit, the campaign treasurer shall file a statement thirty days after the decision or declaration with the proper authority and, thereafter, on the seventh day of each month following if on the last day of the previous month there was an increase or decrease in such deficit in excess of five hundred dollars from that reported on the last statement filed. The campaign treasurer shall file supplemental statements until the deficit is eliminated. If the exploratory committee does not have a surplus or deficit, the statement filed after the candidate's declaration or decision shall be the last required statement. If a candidate certifies on the statement of organization for the exploratory committee pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-604 that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office of state representative and subsequently establishes a candidate committee for the office of state representative, the campaign treasurer of the candidate committee shall pay to the State Treasurer, for deposit in the General Fund, an amount equal to the portion of any contribution received by said exploratory committee that exceeded two hundred fifty dollars. As used in this subsection, "principal of an investment services firm" has the meaning set forth in subsection (f) of section 9-612 and "state office" has the same meaning set forth in subsection (e) of section 9-610.
(g) (1) As part of the dissolution process for a political committee established as an election legal fund, in addition to the notice of conclusion of the legal or administrative proceeding as required in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, the campaign treasurer shall also file a statement identifying all contributions received or expenditures made by the committee since the previous statement and the balance on hand or deficit, as the case may be. No funds raised for the election legal fund shall be transferred to any other fund or committee or used for any other purpose other than legal expenses related to the events giving rise to the establishment of the committee. Not later than ninety days after the conclusion of the legal or administrative proceeding giving rise to the establishment of the fund and after all costs and obligations incurred by the fund have been paid and satisfied, the campaign treasurer of the political committee designated as the election legal fund shall file a notice of the dissolution of the fund and a statement with the State Elections and Enforcement Commission identifying all contributions received or expenditures made by the committee since the previous statement. In the event of a surplus, the campaign treasurer shall transfer the balance remaining in the election legal fund's account to any organization which is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, or return such surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, or to the Citizens' Election Fund, as established in section 9-701.
(2) If, one hundred twenty days after the conclusion of the legal or administrative proceeding giving rise to the establishment of the election legal fund the committee has a deficit, the campaign treasurer shall file, not later than one hundred thirty days after such conclusion of the legal or administrative proceeding, a statement complete as of ten days immediately preceding the required filing date identifying all contributions received or expenditures made by the committee since the previous statement and the amount of the deficit.
(3) Following the initial filing stating the amount of the deficit under subdivision (2) of this subsection, the campaign treasurer shall file, not later than seven days after the last day of the previous month, a statement as to whether there was an increase or decrease in such deficit in excess of five hundred dollars from that reported on the last statement filed. The campaign treasurer shall file supplemental statements in accordance with the provisions of this subdivision until the deficit is eliminated.
Sec. 10. Subsection (c) of section 9-610 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(c) A candidate may make any expenditure permitted by section 9-607 to aid or promote the success of his campaign for nomination or election from his personal funds, or the funds of his immediate family, which for the purposes of this chapter shall consist of the candidate's spouse and issue. Any such expenditure shall not be deemed a contribution to [any committee] a candidate committee or political committee that has been established as an election legal fund.
Sec. 11. Subsection (b) of section 9-611 of the general statutes is amended by adding subdivision (3) as follows (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(NEW) (3) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, a political committee formed by a candidate as an election legal fund formed by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of three thousand five hundred dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of two thousand dollars; (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand dollars; (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand dollars; or (E) state representative or any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
Sec. 12. Subsection (a) of section 9-615 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(a) (1) No political committee established by an organization shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or for election to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection] (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars.
(2) No political committee established by an organization shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
Sec. 13. Section 9-617 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(a) A party committee may make unlimited contributions to, or for the benefit of, any of the following: (1) Another party committee; (2) a national committee of a political party; or (3) a committee of a candidate for federal or out-of-state office. A party committee may also make contributions to a charitable organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as from time to time amended, or make memorial contributions. A town committee may also contribute to a scholarship awarded by a high school on the basis of objective criteria.
(b) (1) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of fifty thousand dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars; (C) state senator, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of ten thousand dollars; (D) state representative, in excess of five thousand dollars; or (E) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection, in excess of five thousand dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall apply separately to primaries and elections.
(2) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of fifty thousand dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars; (C) state senator, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of ten thousand dollars; (D) state representative, in excess of five thousand dollars; or (E) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of five thousand dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
[(2)] (3) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any one calendar year to, or for the benefit of (A) a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, in excess of ten thousand dollars, or (B) any other political committee, other than an exploratory committee or a committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars. No state central committee shall make contributions in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars to an exploratory committee.
(c) (1) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of five thousand dollars; (C) state senator, in excess of five thousand dollars; (D) state representative, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of three thousand dollars; or (E) any [other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection] office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall apply separately to primaries and elections.
(2) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of five thousand dollars; (C) state senator, in excess of five thousand dollars; (D) state representative, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of three thousand dollars; or (E) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
[(2)] (3) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any one calendar year to, or for the benefit of (A) a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, in excess of two thousand dollars, or (B) any other political committee, other than an exploratory committee or a committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars. No town committee shall make contributions in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars to an exploratory committee.
(d) A party committee may receive contributions from a federal account of a national committee of a political party, but may not receive contributions from any other account of a national committee of a political party or from a committee of a candidate for federal or out-of-state office, for use in the election of candidates subject to the provisions of this chapter.
Sec. 14. Subsection (b) of section 9-618 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(b) (1) No political committee organized for ongoing political purposes, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection] (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars. The limits imposed by this subsection shall apply separately to primaries and elections.
(2) No political committee organized for ongoing political purposes, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
Sec. 15. Section 9-619 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter):
(a) No political committee established for a single primary or election shall make contributions to a national committee, or a committee of a candidate for federal or out-of-state office. If such a political committee is established by an organization or a business entity, its contributions shall also be subject to the limitations imposed by sections 9-613 to 9-615, inclusive. Except as provided in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section, no political committee formed for a single election or primary shall, with respect to such election or primary make a contribution or contributions in excess of two thousand dollars to another political committee, provided no such political committee shall make a contribution in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars to an exploratory committee.
(b) (1) No political committee established for a single primary or election, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection] (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars. The limits imposed by this subsection shall apply separately to primaries and elections.
(2) No political committee established for a single primary or election, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for the office of: (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or (F) any office of a town, city or borough, other than that of chief executive officer, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately from the limits imposed on contributions to the candidate's candidate committee.
(c) No political committee established for a single primary or election, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions in a calendar year to, or for the benefit of (1) the state central committee of a political party, in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars; or (2) a town committee of a political party, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars.
(d) (1) No legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: (A) State senator, in excess of ten thousand dollars; or (B) state representative, in excess of five thousand dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall apply separately to primaries and elections. No legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, or a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate for election to any office not included in this subdivision.
(2) No legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, the state central committee of a political party, in excess of ten thousand dollars.
(3) No legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any committee except as provided in this subsection.
(4) No legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any calendar year to, or for the benefit of, a political committee established as an election legal fund by a candidate to the office of: (A) State senator, in excess of ten thousand dollars; or (B) state representative, in excess of five thousand dollars. The limits imposed by this subdivision shall be applied separately to the candidate's candidate committee.
(e) A political committee established for a single primary or election or a committee established as an election legal fund shall not receive contributions from a committee of a candidate for federal or out-of-state office or from a national committee.
(f) No political committee established as an election legal fund shall make contributions to or for the benefit of another committee organized under this chapter, a candidate committee of a candidate for out-of-state or federal office, or from a national committee.
Sec. 16. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 157 of the general statutes, a candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program established under section 9-702 of the general statutes may form a political committee designated as an election legal fund, as defined in section 9-601 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
(b) An election legal fund established by a candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program shall not be restricted to receiving contributions from sources able to make qualifying contributions as described in section 9-704 of the general statutes. Contributions to such a candidate's election legal fund shall be limited to those same sources and amounts as would be permissible for any nonparticipating candidate's election legal fund.
(c) An election legal fund established by a candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program shall make no expenditures except those directly related to the legal representation of such candidate in the legal case or administrative proceeding designated in the statement of registration filed under section 9-605 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-601(3)
Sec. 2 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-601
Sec. 3 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-601a(b)
Sec. 4 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-604(c)
Sec. 5 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-605(b)
Sec. 6 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-605(e)
Sec. 7 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-607(g)(2)
Sec. 8 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-607(i)
Sec. 9 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-608
Sec. 10 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-610(c)
Sec. 11 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-611(b)
Sec. 12 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-615(a)
Sec. 13 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-617
Sec. 14 January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-618(b)
Sec. 15 January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter 9-619
Sec. 16 January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-601(3)
Sec. 2
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-601
Sec. 3
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-601a(b)
Sec. 4
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-604(c)
Sec. 5
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-605(b)
Sec. 6
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-605(e)
Sec. 7
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-607(g)(2)
Sec. 8
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-607(i)
Sec. 9
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-608
Sec. 10
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-610(c)
Sec. 11
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-611(b)
Sec. 12
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-615(a)
Sec. 13
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-617
Sec. 14
January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-618(b)
Sec. 15
January 1, 2012 and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
9-619
Sec. 16
January 1, 2012, and applicable to elections and primaries held thereafter
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To allow candidates to establish a political committee to serve as an election legal fund to defray costs associated with a legal action arising from a primary or election campaign, the electoral process, an election or nomination, issues concerning eligibility to appear on a ballot or to contest primary or election results.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]