LCO No. 5321 1 of 16 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1044 January Session, 2019 LCO No. 5321 Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS Introduced by: (GAE) AN ACT RESTORING THE CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subdivision (3) of subsection (i) of section 9-705 of the 1 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2 thereof (Effective January 1, 2020): 3 (3) (A) If a participating candidate who is nominated for election 4 does not have [any] an opponent in the general election campaign, [the 5 amount of the] such candidate shall be ineligible for a general election 6 campaign grant. [for which the qualified candidate committee for said 7 candidate shall be eligible shall be thirty per cent of the applicable 8 amount set forth in subsections (a) to (h), inclusive, of this section.] For 9 the purposes of this subdivision, a participating candidate shall be 10 deemed to have an opponent if [(A)] (i) a major party has properly 11 endorsed any other candidate and made the requisite filing with the 12 Secretary of the State within the time specified in [section 9-391 or 9-13 400, as applicable, (B)] chapter 153, (ii) any candidate of any other 14 major party has received not less than fifteen per cent of the vote of 15 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 2 of 16 convention delegates and has complied with the filing requirements 16 set forth in section 9-400, or [(C)] (iii) any candidate of any other major 17 party has circulated a petition and obtained the required number of 18 signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination and has either 19 qualified for the primary or been deemed the party's nominee; 20 (B) If a participating candidate who is nominated for election and 21 who was previously deemed to not have an opponent under 22 subparagraph (A) of this subdivision is subsequently deemed to have 23 an opponent in the general election campaign, the qualified candidate 24 committee of such candidate shall be eligible to receive a general 25 election campaign grant under subsections (a) to (h), inclusive, of this 26 section, and the amount of such grant shall be reduced by the amount 27 of any additional contributions raised pursuant to subsection (c) of 28 section 9-702, as amended by this act, during the period when such 29 candidate was deemed to not have an opponent; 30 Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 9-702 of the general statutes is 31 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 32 January 1, 2020): 33 (c) (1) A candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program 34 shall limit the expenditures of the candidate's candidate committee (A) 35 before a primary campaign and a general election campaign, to the 36 amount of qualifying contributions permitted in section 9-704 and any 37 personal funds provided by the candidate under subsection (c) of 38 section 9-710, (B) for a primary campaign, to the sum of (i) the amount 39 of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have not been 40 spent before the primary campaign, and (ii) the amount of the grant for 41 the primary campaign authorized under section 9-705, as amended by 42 this act, and (C) for a general election campaign, to the sum of (i) the 43 amount of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have 44 not been spent before the general election campaign, (ii) any 45 unexpended funds from any grant for a primary campaign authorized 46 under section 9-705, as amended by this act, and (iii) the amount of the 47 grant for the general election campaign authorized under section 9-48 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 3 of 16 705, as amended by this act. 49 (2) The candidate committee of a minor or petitioning party 50 candidate who has received a general election campaign grant from 51 the fund pursuant to section 9-705, as amended by this act, or an 52 unopposed candidate who is ineligible to receive a grant pursuant to 53 subparagraph (A) of subdivision (3) of subsection (i) of said section, 54 shall be permitted to receive contributions in addition to the qualifying 55 contributions subject to the limitations and restrictions applicable to 56 participating candidates for the same office, provided (A) such minor 57 or petitioning party candidate shall limit the expenditures of the 58 candidate committee for a general election campaign to the sum of the 59 qualifying contributions and personal funds, the amount of the general 60 election campaign grant received and the amount raised in additional 61 contributions that is equivalent to the difference between the amount 62 of the applicable general election campaign grant for a major party 63 candidate for such office and the amount of the general election 64 campaign grant received by such minor or petitioning party candidate, 65 and (B) such unopposed candidate shall limit the expenditures of the 66 candidate committee for a general election campaign to the sum of (i) 67 the qualifying contributions, (ii) any personal funds, and (iii) the 68 amount raised in additional contributions that is equivalent to thirty 69 per cent of the applicable general election campaign grant for which 70 such candidate committee would be eligible under subsections (a) to 71 (h), inclusive, of section 9-705, as amended by this act, if such 72 candidate was not unopposed. 73 Sec. 3. Section 9-718 of the general statutes is repealed and the 74 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 75 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes and 76 except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, [no] a town 77 committee [, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 78 committee] shall not make an organization expenditure for the benefit 79 of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 80 participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 81 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 4 of 16 of state senator in an amount that exceeds ten thousand dollars for the 82 general election campaign. 83 (2) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, a state 84 central committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative 85 leadership committee shall not make an organization expenditure for 86 the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 87 participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 88 of state senator in an amount that exceeds one-fourth of the applicable 89 full grant amount for a major party candidate authorized under section 90 9-705, as amended by this act, for the applicable campaign period. 91 (b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [no] a 92 party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 93 committee shall not make an organization expenditure for the 94 purposes described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (25) of section 95 9-601 for the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate 96 committee of a participating candidate in the Citizens' Election 97 Program for the office of state senator for the primary campaign. 98 (c) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes and 99 except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, [no] a town 100 committee [, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 101 committee] shall not make an organization expenditure for the benefit 102 of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 103 participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 104 of state representative in an amount that exceeds three thousand five 105 hundred dollars for the general election campaign. 106 (2) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, a state 107 central committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative 108 leadership committee shall not make an organization expenditure for 109 the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 110 participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 111 of state representative in an amount that exceeds one-fourth of the 112 applicable full grant amount for a major party candidate authorized 113 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 5 of 16 under section 9-705, as amended by this act, for the applicable 114 campaign period. 115 (d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [no] 116 party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 117 committee shall not make an organization expenditure for the 118 purposes described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (25) of section 119 9-601 for the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate 120 committee of a participating candidate in the Citizens' Election 121 Program for the office of state representative for the primary 122 campaign. 123 (e) For any election held in 2014, and thereafter, the amount of the 124 limitations on organization expenditures provided in [subsections] 125 subdivision (1) of subsection (a) and subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of 126 this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 127 Commission not later than January 15, 2014, and biennially thereafter, 128 in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all 129 urban consumers as published by the United States Department of 130 Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 131 January 1, 2010, and ending on December thirty-first in the year 132 preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 133 Sec. 4. Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-7a of the general 134 statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 135 (Effective from passage): 136 (2) On and after July 1, 2011, but before July 1, 2019, members shall 137 be appointed for terms of three years from July first in the year of their 138 appointment and shall be appointed by the person holding the same 139 office as was held by the person making the original appointment, 140 provided any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only 141 for the unexpired term of the member whom he or she shall succeed. 142 On and after [July 1, 2011, no] July 1, 2019, any member may serve 143 more than two consecutive terms, [except that] and any member 144 serving on said date [,] may serve until a successor is appointed and 145 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 6 of 16 has qualified. All appointments shall be made with the consent of the 146 state Senate and House of Representatives. No person who has served 147 during any part of the three-year period prior to the appointment as a 148 political party officer, shall be appointed to membership on the 149 commission. For purposes of this subsection, "political party officer" 150 means an officer of a national committee of a political party, state 151 central or town committee. The commission shall elect one of its 152 members to serve as chairperson and another member to serve as vice-153 chairperson. Each member of the commission shall be compensated at 154 the rate of two hundred dollars per day for any day on which he 155 participates in a regular commission meeting or hearing, and shall be 156 paid by the state for his reasonable expenses, including necessary 157 stenographic and clerical help. 158 Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 9-601a of the general statutes is 159 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 160 passage): 161 (a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, "contribution" means: 162 (1) Any gift, subscription, loan, advance, payment or deposit of 163 money or anything of value, made (A) to promote, attack, support or 164 oppose the success or defeat of any [candidate] person seeking (i) the 165 nomination for election, or (ii) election, or (B) for the purpose of aiding 166 or promoting (i) the success or defeat of any referendum question, or 167 (ii) the success or defeat of any political party; 168 (2) A written contract, promise or agreement to make a contribution 169 for any such purpose; 170 (3) The payment by any person, other than a candidate or treasurer, 171 of compensation for the personal services of any other person which 172 are rendered without charge to a committee or candidate for any such 173 purpose; 174 (4) An expenditure that is not an independent expenditure; or 175 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 7 of 16 (5) Funds received by a committee which are transferred from 176 another committee or other source for any such purpose. 177 Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-601b of the general 178 statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 179 (Effective from passage): 180 (a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, [the term] "expenditure" 181 means: 182 (1) Any purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or 183 gift of money or anything of value, when made (A) to promote, attack, 184 support or oppose the success or defeat of any [candidate] person 185 seeking (i) the nomination for election, or (ii) election, [of any person] 186 or (B) for the purpose of aiding or promoting (i) the success or defeat 187 of any referendum question, or (ii) the success or defeat of any political 188 party; 189 (2) Any communication that (A) refers to one or more clearly 190 identified candidates, and (B) (i) is broadcast (I) by radio, by television, 191 other than on a public access channel, [or] by satellite communication 192 or via the Internet, or (II) as a paid-for telephone communication, or (ii) 193 appears in a newspaper, in a magazine or on a billboard, or (iii) is sent 194 by mail; or 195 (3) The transfer of funds by a committee to another committee. 196 (b) [The term "expenditure"] "Expenditure" does not mean: 197 (1) A loan of money, made in the ordinary course of business, by a 198 state or national bank; 199 (2) A communication made by any corporation, organization or 200 association solely to its members, owners, stockholders, executive or 201 administrative personnel, or their families; 202 (3) Nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns 203 by any corporation, organization or association aimed at its members, 204 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 8 of 16 owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their 205 families; 206 (4) Uncompensated services provided by individuals volunteering 207 their time on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate 208 committee or candidate committee, including any services provided 209 for the benefit of nonparticipating and participating candidates under 210 the Citizens' Election Program and any unreimbursed travel expenses 211 made by an individual who volunteers the individual's personal 212 services to any such committee. For purposes of this subdivision, an 213 individual is a volunteer if such individual is not receiving 214 compensation for such services regardless of whether such individual 215 received compensation in the past or may receive compensation for 216 similar services that may be performed in the future; 217 (5) Any news story, commentary or editorial distributed through 218 the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine or 219 other periodical, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any 220 political party, committee or candidate; 221 (6) The use of real or personal property, a portion or all of the cost of 222 invitations and the cost of food or beverages, voluntarily provided by 223 an individual to a candidate, including a nonparticipating or 224 participating candidate under the Citizens' Election Program, or to a 225 party, political or slate committee, in rendering voluntary personal 226 services at the individual's residential premises or a community room 227 in the individual's residence facility, to the extent that the cumulative 228 value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by an individual 229 on behalf of any candidate or committee does not exceed four hundred 230 dollars with respect to any single event or does not exceed eight 231 hundred dollars for any such event hosted by two or more individuals, 232 provided at least one such individual owns or resides at the residential 233 premises, and further provided the cumulative value of the invitations, 234 food or beverages provided by an individual on behalf of any such 235 candidate or committee does not exceed eight hundred dollars with 236 respect to a calendar year or single election, as the case may be; 237 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 9 of 16 (7) A communication described in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) 238 of this section, which communication is not made to promote, attack, 239 support or oppose the nomination or election of any person, that 240 includes speech or expression [made] (A) made prior to the ninety-day 241 period preceding the date of a primary or an election at which the 242 clearly identified candidate or candidates are seeking nomination to 243 public office or position, [that is] including a communication made for 244 the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action, as 245 defined in section 1-91, or executive action, [or] (B) made during a 246 legislative session for the purpose of influencing legislative action, or 247 (C) that constitutes a candidate debate or that solely promotes any 248 such debate and is made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the 249 debate; 250 (8) An organization expenditure by a party committee, legislative 251 caucus committee or legislative leadership committee; 252 (9) A commercial advertisement that refers to an owner, director or 253 officer of a business entity who is also a candidate, [and that] which 254 commercial advertisement had previously been broadcast or appeared 255 when the owner, director or officer was not a candidate; 256 (10) A communication containing an endorsement on behalf of a 257 candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor, 258 Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State 259 Comptroller, Attorney General, state senator or state representative, 260 from a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, 261 Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller, Attorney 262 General, state senator or state representative, shall not be an 263 expenditure attributable to the endorsing candidate, if the candidate 264 making the endorsement is unopposed at the time of the 265 communication; 266 (11) A communication that is sent by mail to addresses in the district 267 for which a candidate being endorsed by another candidate pursuant 268 to the provisions of this subdivision is seeking nomination or election 269 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 10 of 16 to the office of state senator or state representative, containing an 270 endorsement on behalf of such candidate for such nomination or 271 election, from a candidate for the office of state senator or state 272 representative, shall not be an expenditure attributable to the 273 endorsing candidate, if the candidate making the endorsement is not 274 seeking election to the office of state senator or state representative for 275 a district that contains any geographical area shared by the district for 276 the office to which the endorsed candidate is seeking nomination or 277 election; 278 (12) Campaign training events provided to multiple individuals by 279 a legislative caucus committee and any associated materials, provided 280 the cumulative value of such events and materials does not exceed six 281 thousand dollars in the aggregate for a calendar year; 282 (13) A lawful communication by any charitable organization which 283 is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 284 Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal 285 revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended; 286 (14) The use of offices, telephones, computers and similar 287 equipment provided by a party committee, legislative caucus 288 committee or legislative leadership committee that serve as 289 headquarters for or are used by such party committee, legislative 290 caucus committee or legislative leadership committee; or 291 (15) An expense or expenses incurred by a human being acting 292 alone in an amount that is two hundred dollars or less, in the 293 aggregate, that benefits a candidate for a single election. 294 Sec. 7. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-608 of the 295 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 296 thereof (Effective from passage): 297 (a) (1) Each treasurer of a committee, other than a state central 298 committee, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false 299 statement with the proper authority in accordance with the provisions 300 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 11 of 16 of section 9-603, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of 301 January, April, July and October, provided, if such tenth calendar day 302 is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on 303 the next business day, except that in the case of a candidate or 304 exploratory committee established for an office to be elected at a 305 special election, statements pursuant to this subparagraph shall not be 306 required, (B) on the seventh day preceding each regular state election, 307 except that (i) in the case of a candidate or exploratory committee 308 established for an office to be elected at a municipal election, the 309 statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding a regular 310 municipal election in lieu of such date, except if the candidate's name 311 is not eligible to appear on the ballot, in which case such statement 312 shall not be required, (ii) in the case of a town committee, the 313 statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding each municipal 314 election in addition to such date, (iii) in the case of a candidate 315 committee in a state election, [that is required to file any supplemental 316 campaign finance statements pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of 317 subsection (a) of section 9-712, such] the supplemental campaign 318 finance statements required pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-712, 319 as amended by this act, shall satisfy the filing requirement under this 320 subdivision, and (iv) in the case of a candidate committee established 321 by a candidate whose name is not eligible to appear on the ballot, such 322 statement shall not be required, and (C) if the committee has made or 323 received a contribution or expenditure in connection with any other 324 election, a primary or a referendum, on the seventh day preceding the 325 election, primary or referendum, except that in the case of a candidate 326 committee in a primary [that is required to file statements pursuant to 327 subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-712, such] for an 328 office to be voted upon at a state election, the statements required 329 pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-712, as amended by this act, 330 shall satisfy the filing requirement under this subdivision. The 331 statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the 332 last day of the month preceding the month in which the statement is 333 required to be filed, except that for the statement required to be filed 334 on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum, the 335 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 12 of 16 statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the 336 second day immediately preceding the required filing day. The 337 statement shall cover a period to begin with the first day not included 338 in the last filed statement. In the case of a candidate committee, the 339 statement required to be filed in January shall be in lieu of the 340 statement formerly required to be filed within forty-five days 341 following an election. 342 Sec. 8. Section 9-611 of the general statutes is repealed and the 343 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 344 (a) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 345 contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or 346 request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any 347 candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's 348 campaign for election, to the office of (1) Governor, in excess of three 349 thousand five hundred dollars; (2) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of 350 the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of two 351 thousand dollars; (3) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, 352 in excess of one thousand dollars; (4) state senator or probate judge, in 353 excess of one thousand dollars; or (5) state representative or any other 354 office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection, in 355 excess of two hundred fifty dollars. The limits imposed by this 356 subsection shall be applied separately to primaries and elections. 357 (b) (1) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 358 contributions to, or for the benefit of, an exploratory committee, in 359 excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, if the candidate 360 establishing the exploratory committee certifies on the statement of 361 organization for the exploratory committee pursuant to subsection (c) 362 of section 9-604 that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office 363 of state representative. [No] An individual shall not make a 364 contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any exploratory 365 committee, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars, if the candidate 366 establishing the exploratory committee does not so certify. 367 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 13 of 16 (2) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 368 contributions to, or for the benefit of, a political committee formed by a 369 slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, in 370 excess of two hundred fifty dollars. 371 [(c) No individual shall make contributions to such candidates or 372 committees which in the aggregate exceed thirty thousand dollars for 373 any single election and primary preliminary to such election.] 374 [(d) No] (c) An individual shall not make a contribution to any 375 candidate or committee, other than a contribution in kind, in excess of 376 one hundred dollars, except by personal check or credit card of that 377 individual. 378 [(e) No] (d) An individual who is less than eighteen years of age 379 shall not make a contribution or contributions, in excess of thirty 380 dollars to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request 381 of: (1) A candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any 382 candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary to any office; (2) a 383 candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's 384 campaign for election to any office; (3) an exploratory committee; (4) 385 any other political committee in any calendar year; or (5) a party 386 committee in any calendar year. Notwithstanding any provision of 387 subdivision (2) of section 9-7b, any individual who is less than 388 eighteen years of age who violates any provision of this subsection 389 shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivision (2) of section 9-7b. 390 Sec. 9. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-712 of the 391 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 392 thereof (Effective from passage): 393 (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the 394 statements required to be filed pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of 395 this subsection shall not be required to be filed by (A) a candidate 396 committee of a candidate that is exempt from filing campaign finance 397 statements pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-608 unless or until 398 such a candidate committee receives or expends an amount in excess 399 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 14 of 16 of one thousand dollars for purposes of the primary or election for 400 which such committee was formed, (B) a candidate committee of a 401 candidate who is no longer eligible for a position on the ballot, or (C) a 402 candidate committee of a participating candidate that is unopposed or 403 of a nonparticipating candidate that is unopposed or opposed only by 404 a nonparticipating candidate or candidates, except that such candidate 405 committee shall file a supplemental statement on the last Thursday 406 before the applicable primary or general election. Such statement shall 407 be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the second day 408 immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall 409 cover a period beginning with the first day not included in the last 410 filed statement. 411 Sec. 10. Subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of section 9-7a of the 412 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 413 thereof (Effective from passage): 414 (g) (1) In the case of a written complaint filed with the commission 415 pursuant to section 9-7b, commission staff shall conduct and complete 416 a preliminary examination of such complaint by the fourteenth day 417 following its receipt, at which time such staff shall, at its discretion, (A) 418 dismiss the complaint for failure to allege any substantial violation of 419 state election law supported by evidence, (B) engage the respondent in 420 discussions in an effort to speedily resolve any matter pertaining to a 421 de minimis violation, or (C) investigate and docket the complaint for a 422 determination by the commission that probable cause or no probable 423 cause exists for any such violation. If commission staff dismisses a 424 complaint pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, such staff 425 shall provide a brief written statement concisely setting forth the 426 reasons for such dismissal. If commission staff engages a respondent 427 pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this subdivision but is unable to 428 speedily resolve any such matter described in said subparagraph by 429 the forty-fifth day following receipt of the complaint, such staff shall 430 docket such complaint for a determination by the commission that 431 probable cause or no probable cause exists for any violation of state 432 election law. If the commission does not, by the sixtieth day following 433 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 15 of 16 receipt of the complaint, either issue a decision or render its 434 determination that probable cause or no probable cause exists for any 435 violation of state election laws, the complainant or respondent may 436 apply to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford for an 437 order to show cause why the commission has not acted upon the 438 complaint and to provide evidence that the commission has 439 unreasonably delayed action. For any complaint received on or after 440 January 1, 2018, if the commission does not, by one year following 441 receipt of such complaint, [issue a decision thereon] find reason to 442 believe, pursuant to section 9-7b-35 of the regulations of Connecticut 443 state agencies, that a violation of state election law has been 444 committed, the commission shall dismiss such complaint, provided the 445 length of time of any delay caused by (i) the commission or 446 commission staff granting any extension or continuance to a 447 respondent prior to the issuance of any such decision, (ii) any 448 subpoena issued in connection with such complaint, (iii) any litigation 449 in state or federal court related to such complaint, [or] (iv) any 450 investigation by the commission or commission staff (I) involving a 451 potential violation of section 9-601c or 9-601d, as amended by this act, 452 or (II) involving a potential violation of state election law by any 453 foreign national or foreign-influenced entity, or (v) any investigation 454 by, or consultation of the commission or commission staff with, the 455 Chief State's Attorney, the Attorney General, the United States 456 Department of Justice or the United States Attorney for Connecticut 457 related to such complaint, shall be added to such one year. 458 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 January 1, 2020 9-705(i)(3) Sec. 2 January 1, 2020 9-702(c) Sec. 3 from passage 9-718 Sec. 4 from passage 9-7a(a)(2) Sec. 5 from passage 9-601a(a) Sec. 6 from passage 9-601b(a) and (b) Sec. 7 from passage 9-608(a)(1) Sec. 8 from passage 9-611 Raised Bill No. 1044 LCO No. 5321 16 of 16 Sec. 9 from passage 9-712(a)(4) Sec. 10 from passage 9-7a(g)(1) Statement of Purpose: To (1) eliminate grants from the Citizens' Election Fund for candidates without an opponent, (2) modify the amounts of organization expenditures that state central, legislative caucus and legislative leadership committees may make to participating candidates, (3) permit members of the State Elections Enforcement Commission to serve more than two consecutive terms, and (4) revise the manner in which the commission processes complaints. [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.]