Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01044 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	LCO No. 5321 1 of 16
4	4
5	5	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1044
6	6	January Session, 2019
7	7	LCO No. 5321
8	8
9	9
10	10	Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
11	11	AND ELECTIONS
12	12
13	13
14	14	Introduced by:
15	15	(GAE)
16	16
17	17
18	18
19	19
20	20	AN ACT RESTORING THE CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM.
21	21	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
22	22	Assembly convened:
23	23
24	24	Section 1. Subdivision (3) of subsection (i) of section 9-705 of the 1
25	25	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
26	26	thereof (Effective January 1, 2020): 3
27	27	(3) (A) If a participating candidate who is nominated for election 4
28	28	does not have [any] an opponent in the general election campaign, [the 5
29	29	amount of the] such candidate shall be ineligible for a general election 6
30	30	campaign grant. [for which the qualified candidate committee for said 7
31	31	candidate shall be eligible shall be thirty per cent of the applicable 8
32	32	amount set forth in subsections (a) to (h), inclusive, of this section.] For 9
33	33	the purposes of this subdivision, a participating candidate shall be 10
34	34	deemed to have an opponent if [(A)] (i) a major party has properly 11
35	35	endorsed any other candidate and made the requisite filing with the 12
36	36	Secretary of the State within the time specified in [section 9-391 or 9-13
37	37	400, as applicable, (B)] chapter 153, (ii) any candidate of any other 14
38	38	major party has received not less than fifteen per cent of the vote of 15 Raised Bill No. 1044
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40	40
41	41
42	42	LCO No. 5321 2 of 16
43	43
44	44	convention delegates and has complied with the filing requirements 16
45	45	set forth in section 9-400, or [(C)] (iii) any candidate of any other major 17
46	46	party has circulated a petition and obtained the required number of 18
47	47	signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination and has either 19
48	48	qualified for the primary or been deemed the party's nominee; 20
49	49	(B) If a participating candidate who is nominated for election and 21
50	50	who was previously deemed to not have an opponent under 22
51	51	subparagraph (A) of this subdivision is subsequently deemed to have 23
52	52	an opponent in the general election campaign, the qualified candidate 24
53	53	committee of such candidate shall be eligible to receive a general 25
54	54	election campaign grant under subsections (a) to (h), inclusive, of this 26
55	55	section, and the amount of such grant shall be reduced by the amount 27
56	56	of any additional contributions raised pursuant to subsection (c) of 28
57	57	section 9-702, as amended by this act, during the period when such 29
58	58	candidate was deemed to not have an opponent; 30
59	59	Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 9-702 of the general statutes is 31
60	60	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 32
61	61	January 1, 2020): 33
62	62	(c) (1) A candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program 34
63	63	shall limit the expenditures of the candidate's candidate committee (A) 35
64	64	before a primary campaign and a general election campaign, to the 36
65	65	amount of qualifying contributions permitted in section 9-704 and any 37
66	66	personal funds provided by the candidate under subsection (c) of 38
67	67	section 9-710, (B) for a primary campaign, to the sum of (i) the amount 39
68	68	of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have not been 40
69	69	spent before the primary campaign, and (ii) the amount of the grant for 41
70	70	the primary campaign authorized under section 9-705, as amended by 42
71	71	this act, and (C) for a general election campaign, to the sum of (i) the 43
72	72	amount of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have 44
73	73	not been spent before the general election campaign, (ii) any 45
74	74	unexpended funds from any grant for a primary campaign authorized 46
75	75	under section 9-705, as amended by this act, and (iii) the amount of the 47
76	76	grant for the general election campaign authorized under section 9-48 Raised Bill No. 1044
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78	78
79	79
80	80	LCO No. 5321 3 of 16
81	81
82	82	705, as amended by this act. 49
83	83	(2) The candidate committee of a minor or petitioning party 50
84	84	candidate who has received a general election campaign grant from 51
85	85	the fund pursuant to section 9-705, as amended by this act, or an 52
86	86	unopposed candidate who is ineligible to receive a grant pursuant to 53
87	87	subparagraph (A) of subdivision (3) of subsection (i) of said section, 54
88	88	shall be permitted to receive contributions in addition to the qualifying 55
89	89	contributions subject to the limitations and restrictions applicable to 56
90	90	participating candidates for the same office, provided (A) such minor 57
91	91	or petitioning party candidate shall limit the expenditures of the 58
92	92	candidate committee for a general election campaign to the sum of the 59
93	93	qualifying contributions and personal funds, the amount of the general 60
94	94	election campaign grant received and the amount raised in additional 61
95	95	contributions that is equivalent to the difference between the amount 62
96	96	of the applicable general election campaign grant for a major party 63
97	97	candidate for such office and the amount of the general election 64
98	98	campaign grant received by such minor or petitioning party candidate, 65
99	99	and (B) such unopposed candidate shall limit the expenditures of the 66
100	100	candidate committee for a general election campaign to the sum of (i) 67
101	101	the qualifying contributions, (ii) any personal funds, and (iii) the 68
102	102	amount raised in additional contributions that is equivalent to thirty 69
103	103	per cent of the applicable general election campaign grant for which 70
104	104	such candidate committee would be eligible under subsections (a) to 71
105	105	(h), inclusive, of section 9-705, as amended by this act, if such 72
106	106	candidate was not unopposed. 73
107	107	Sec. 3. Section 9-718 of the general statutes is repealed and the 74
108	108	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 75
109	109	(a) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes and 76
110	110	except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, [no] a town 77
111	111	committee [, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 78
112	112	committee] shall not make an organization expenditure for the benefit 79
113	113	of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 80
114	114	participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 81 Raised Bill No. 1044
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116	116
117	117
118	118	LCO No. 5321 4 of 16
119	119
120	120	of state senator in an amount that exceeds ten thousand dollars for the 82
121	121	general election campaign. 83
122	122	(2) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, a state 84
123	123	central committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative 85
124	124	leadership committee shall not make an organization expenditure for 86
125	125	the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 87
126	126	participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 88
127	127	of state senator in an amount that exceeds one-fourth of the applicable 89
128	128	full grant amount for a major party candidate authorized under section 90
129	129	9-705, as amended by this act, for the applicable campaign period. 91
130	130	(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [no] a 92
131	131	party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 93
132	132	committee shall not make an organization expenditure for the 94
133	133	purposes described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (25) of section 95
134	134	9-601 for the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate 96
135	135	committee of a participating candidate in the Citizens' Election 97
136	136	Program for the office of state senator for the primary campaign. 98
137	137	(c) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes and 99
138	138	except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, [no] a town 100
139	139	committee [, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 101
140	140	committee] shall not make an organization expenditure for the benefit 102
141	141	of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 103
142	142	participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 104
143	143	of state representative in an amount that exceeds three thousand five 105
144	144	hundred dollars for the general election campaign. 106
145	145	(2) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, a state 107
146	146	central committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative 108
147	147	leadership committee shall not make an organization expenditure for 109
148	148	the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate committee of a 110
149	149	participating candidate in the Citizens' Election Program for the office 111
150	150	of state representative in an amount that exceeds one-fourth of the 112
151	151	applicable full grant amount for a major party candidate authorized 113 Raised Bill No. 1044
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153	153
154	154
155	155	LCO No. 5321 5 of 16
156	156
157	157	under section 9-705, as amended by this act, for the applicable 114
158	158	campaign period. 115
159	159	(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [no] 116
160	160	party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 117
161	161	committee shall not make an organization expenditure for the 118
162	162	purposes described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (25) of section 119
163	163	9-601 for the benefit of a participating candidate or the candidate 120
164	164	committee of a participating candidate in the Citizens' Election 121
165	165	Program for the office of state representative for the primary 122
166	166	campaign. 123
167	167	(e) For any election held in 2014, and thereafter, the amount of the 124
168	168	limitations on organization expenditures provided in [subsections] 125
169	169	subdivision (1) of subsection (a) and subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of 126
170	170	this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 127
171	171	Commission not later than January 15, 2014, and biennially thereafter, 128
172	172	in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all 129
173	173	urban consumers as published by the United States Department of 130
174	174	Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 131
175	175	January 1, 2010, and ending on December thirty-first in the year 132
176	176	preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 133
177	177	Sec. 4. Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-7a of the general 134
178	178	statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 135
179	179	(Effective from passage): 136
180	180	(2) On and after July 1, 2011, but before July 1, 2019, members shall 137
181	181	be appointed for terms of three years from July first in the year of their 138
182	182	appointment and shall be appointed by the person holding the same 139
183	183	office as was held by the person making the original appointment, 140
184	184	provided any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only 141
185	185	for the unexpired term of the member whom he or she shall succeed. 142
186	186	On and after [July 1, 2011, no] July 1, 2019, any member may serve 143
187	187	more than two consecutive terms, [except that] and any member 144
188	188	serving on said date [,] may serve until a successor is appointed and 145 Raised Bill No. 1044
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190	190
191	191
192	192	LCO No. 5321 6 of 16
193	193
194	194	has qualified. All appointments shall be made with the consent of the 146
195	195	state Senate and House of Representatives. No person who has served 147
196	196	during any part of the three-year period prior to the appointment as a 148
197	197	political party officer, shall be appointed to membership on the 149
198	198	commission. For purposes of this subsection, "political party officer" 150
199	199	means an officer of a national committee of a political party, state 151
200	200	central or town committee. The commission shall elect one of its 152
201	201	members to serve as chairperson and another member to serve as vice-153
202	202	chairperson. Each member of the commission shall be compensated at 154
203	203	the rate of two hundred dollars per day for any day on which he 155
204	204	participates in a regular commission meeting or hearing, and shall be 156
205	205	paid by the state for his reasonable expenses, including necessary 157
206	206	stenographic and clerical help. 158
207	207	Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 9-601a of the general statutes is 159
208	208	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 160
209	209	passage): 161
210	210	(a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, "contribution" means: 162
211	211	(1) Any gift, subscription, loan, advance, payment or deposit of 163
212	212	money or anything of value, made (A) to promote, attack, support or 164
213	213	oppose the success or defeat of any [candidate] person seeking (i) the 165
214	214	nomination for election, or (ii) election, or (B) for the purpose of aiding 166
215	215	or promoting (i) the success or defeat of any referendum question, or 167
216	216	(ii) the success or defeat of any political party; 168
217	217	(2) A written contract, promise or agreement to make a contribution 169
218	218	for any such purpose; 170
219	219	(3) The payment by any person, other than a candidate or treasurer, 171
220	220	of compensation for the personal services of any other person which 172
221	221	are rendered without charge to a committee or candidate for any such 173
222	222	purpose; 174
223	223	(4) An expenditure that is not an independent expenditure; or 175 Raised Bill No. 1044
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226	226
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229	229	(5) Funds received by a committee which are transferred from 176
230	230	another committee or other source for any such purpose. 177
231	231	Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-601b of the general 178
232	232	statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 179
233	233	(Effective from passage): 180
234	234	(a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, [the term] "expenditure" 181
235	235	means: 182
236	236	(1) Any purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or 183
237	237	gift of money or anything of value, when made (A) to promote, attack, 184
238	238	support or oppose the success or defeat of any [candidate] person 185
239	239	seeking (i) the nomination for election, or (ii) election, [of any person] 186
240	240	or (B) for the purpose of aiding or promoting (i) the success or defeat 187
241	241	of any referendum question, or (ii) the success or defeat of any political 188
242	242	party; 189
243	243	(2) Any communication that (A) refers to one or more clearly 190
244	244	identified candidates, and (B) (i) is broadcast (I) by radio, by television, 191
245	245	other than on a public access channel, [or] by satellite communication 192
246	246	or via the Internet, or (II) as a paid-for telephone communication, or (ii) 193
247	247	appears in a newspaper, in a magazine or on a billboard, or (iii) is sent 194
248	248	by mail; or 195
249	249	(3) The transfer of funds by a committee to another committee. 196
250	250	(b) [The term "expenditure"] "Expenditure" does not mean: 197
251	251	(1) A loan of money, made in the ordinary course of business, by a 198
252	252	state or national bank; 199
253	253	(2) A communication made by any corporation, organization or 200
254	254	association solely to its members, owners, stockholders, executive or 201
255	255	administrative personnel, or their families; 202
256	256	(3) Nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns 203
257	257	by any corporation, organization or association aimed at its members, 204 Raised Bill No. 1044
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260	260
261	261	LCO No. 5321 8 of 16
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263	263	owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their 205
264	264	families; 206
265	265	(4) Uncompensated services provided by individuals volunteering 207
266	266	their time on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate 208
267	267	committee or candidate committee, including any services provided 209
268	268	for the benefit of nonparticipating and participating candidates under 210
269	269	the Citizens' Election Program and any unreimbursed travel expenses 211
270	270	made by an individual who volunteers the individual's personal 212
271	271	services to any such committee. For purposes of this subdivision, an 213
272	272	individual is a volunteer if such individual is not receiving 214
273	273	compensation for such services regardless of whether such individual 215
274	274	received compensation in the past or may receive compensation for 216
275	275	similar services that may be performed in the future; 217
276	276	(5) Any news story, commentary or editorial distributed through 218
277	277	the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine or 219
278	278	other periodical, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any 220
279	279	political party, committee or candidate; 221
280	280	(6) The use of real or personal property, a portion or all of the cost of 222
281	281	invitations and the cost of food or beverages, voluntarily provided by 223
282	282	an individual to a candidate, including a nonparticipating or 224
283	283	participating candidate under the Citizens' Election Program, or to a 225
284	284	party, political or slate committee, in rendering voluntary personal 226
285	285	services at the individual's residential premises or a community room 227
286	286	in the individual's residence facility, to the extent that the cumulative 228
287	287	value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by an individual 229
288	288	on behalf of any candidate or committee does not exceed four hundred 230
289	289	dollars with respect to any single event or does not exceed eight 231
290	290	hundred dollars for any such event hosted by two or more individuals, 232
291	291	provided at least one such individual owns or resides at the residential 233
292	292	premises, and further provided the cumulative value of the invitations, 234
293	293	food or beverages provided by an individual on behalf of any such 235
294	294	candidate or committee does not exceed eight hundred dollars with 236
295	295	respect to a calendar year or single election, as the case may be; 237 Raised Bill No. 1044
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298	298
299	299	LCO No. 5321 9 of 16
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301	301	(7) A communication described in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) 238
302	302	of this section, which communication is not made to promote, attack, 239
303	303	support or oppose the nomination or election of any person, that 240
304	304	includes speech or expression [made] (A) made prior to the ninety-day 241
305	305	period preceding the date of a primary or an election at which the 242
306	306	clearly identified candidate or candidates are seeking nomination to 243
307	307	public office or position, [that is] including a communication made for 244
308	308	the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action, as 245
309	309	defined in section 1-91, or executive action, [or] (B) made during a 246
310	310	legislative session for the purpose of influencing legislative action, or 247
311	311	(C) that constitutes a candidate debate or that solely promotes any 248
312	312	such debate and is made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the 249
313	313	debate; 250
314	314	(8) An organization expenditure by a party committee, legislative 251
315	315	caucus committee or legislative leadership committee; 252
316	316	(9) A commercial advertisement that refers to an owner, director or 253
317	317	officer of a business entity who is also a candidate, [and that] which 254
318	318	commercial advertisement had previously been broadcast or appeared 255
319	319	when the owner, director or officer was not a candidate; 256
320	320	(10) A communication containing an endorsement on behalf of a 257
321	321	candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor, 258
322	322	Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State 259
323	323	Comptroller, Attorney General, state senator or state representative, 260
324	324	from a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, 261
325	325	Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller, Attorney 262
326	326	General, state senator or state representative, shall not be an 263
327	327	expenditure attributable to the endorsing candidate, if the candidate 264
328	328	making the endorsement is unopposed at the time of the 265
329	329	communication; 266
330	330	(11) A communication that is sent by mail to addresses in the district 267
331	331	for which a candidate being endorsed by another candidate pursuant 268
332	332	to the provisions of this subdivision is seeking nomination or election 269 Raised Bill No. 1044
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334	334
335	335
336	336	LCO No. 5321 10 of 16
337	337
338	338	to the office of state senator or state representative, containing an 270
339	339	endorsement on behalf of such candidate for such nomination or 271
340	340	election, from a candidate for the office of state senator or state 272
341	341	representative, shall not be an expenditure attributable to the 273
342	342	endorsing candidate, if the candidate making the endorsement is not 274
343	343	seeking election to the office of state senator or state representative for 275
344	344	a district that contains any geographical area shared by the district for 276
345	345	the office to which the endorsed candidate is seeking nomination or 277
346	346	election; 278
347	347	(12) Campaign training events provided to multiple individuals by 279
348	348	a legislative caucus committee and any associated materials, provided 280
349	349	the cumulative value of such events and materials does not exceed six 281
350	350	thousand dollars in the aggregate for a calendar year; 282
351	351	(13) A lawful communication by any charitable organization which 283
352	352	is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 284
353	353	Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal 285
354	354	revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended; 286
355	355	(14) The use of offices, telephones, computers and similar 287
356	356	equipment provided by a party committee, legislative caucus 288
357	357	committee or legislative leadership committee that serve as 289
358	358	headquarters for or are used by such party committee, legislative 290
359	359	caucus committee or legislative leadership committee; or 291
360	360	(15) An expense or expenses incurred by a human being acting 292
361	361	alone in an amount that is two hundred dollars or less, in the 293
362	362	aggregate, that benefits a candidate for a single election. 294
363	363	Sec. 7. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-608 of the 295
364	364	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 296
365	365	thereof (Effective from passage): 297
366	366	(a) (1) Each treasurer of a committee, other than a state central 298
367	367	committee, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false 299
368	368	statement with the proper authority in accordance with the provisions 300 Raised Bill No. 1044
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370	370
371	371
372	372	LCO No. 5321 11 of 16
373	373
374	374	of section 9-603, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of 301
375	375	January, April, July and October, provided, if such tenth calendar day 302
376	376	is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on 303
377	377	the next business day, except that in the case of a candidate or 304
378	378	exploratory committee established for an office to be elected at a 305
379	379	special election, statements pursuant to this subparagraph shall not be 306
380	380	required, (B) on the seventh day preceding each regular state election, 307
381	381	except that (i) in the case of a candidate or exploratory committee 308
382	382	established for an office to be elected at a municipal election, the 309
383	383	statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding a regular 310
384	384	municipal election in lieu of such date, except if the candidate's name 311
385	385	is not eligible to appear on the ballot, in which case such statement 312
386	386	shall not be required, (ii) in the case of a town committee, the 313
387	387	statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding each municipal 314
388	388	election in addition to such date, (iii) in the case of a candidate 315
389	389	committee in a state election, [that is required to file any supplemental 316
390	390	campaign finance statements pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of 317
391	391	subsection (a) of section 9-712, such] the supplemental campaign 318
392	392	finance statements required pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-712, 319
393	393	as amended by this act, shall satisfy the filing requirement under this 320
394	394	subdivision, and (iv) in the case of a candidate committee established 321
395	395	by a candidate whose name is not eligible to appear on the ballot, such 322
396	396	statement shall not be required, and (C) if the committee has made or 323
397	397	received a contribution or expenditure in connection with any other 324
398	398	election, a primary or a referendum, on the seventh day preceding the 325
399	399	election, primary or referendum, except that in the case of a candidate 326
400	400	committee in a primary [that is required to file statements pursuant to 327
401	401	subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-712, such] for an 328
402	402	office to be voted upon at a state election, the statements required 329
403	403	pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-712, as amended by this act, 330
404	404	shall satisfy the filing requirement under this subdivision. The 331
405	405	statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the 332
406	406	last day of the month preceding the month in which the statement is 333
407	407	required to be filed, except that for the statement required to be filed 334
408	408	on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum, the 335 Raised Bill No. 1044
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411	411
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414	414	statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the 336
415	415	second day immediately preceding the required filing day. The 337
416	416	statement shall cover a period to begin with the first day not included 338
417	417	in the last filed statement. In the case of a candidate committee, the 339
418	418	statement required to be filed in January shall be in lieu of the 340
419	419	statement formerly required to be filed within forty-five days 341
420	420	following an election. 342
421	421	Sec. 8. Section 9-611 of the general statutes is repealed and the 343
422	422	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 344
423	423	(a) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 345
424	424	contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or 346
425	425	request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any 347
426	426	candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's 348
427	427	campaign for election, to the office of (1) Governor, in excess of three 349
428	428	thousand five hundred dollars; (2) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of 350
429	429	the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of two 351
430	430	thousand dollars; (3) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, 352
431	431	in excess of one thousand dollars; (4) state senator or probate judge, in 353
432	432	excess of one thousand dollars; or (5) state representative or any other 354
433	433	office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection, in 355
434	434	excess of two hundred fifty dollars. The limits imposed by this 356
435	435	subsection shall be applied separately to primaries and elections. 357
436	436	(b) (1) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 358
437	437	contributions to, or for the benefit of, an exploratory committee, in 359
438	438	excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, if the candidate 360
439	439	establishing the exploratory committee certifies on the statement of 361
440	440	organization for the exploratory committee pursuant to subsection (c) 362
441	441	of section 9-604 that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office 363
442	442	of state representative. [No] An individual shall not make a 364
443	443	contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any exploratory 365
444	444	committee, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars, if the candidate 366
445	445	establishing the exploratory committee does not so certify. 367 Raised Bill No. 1044
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447	447
448	448
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451	451	(2) [No] An individual shall not make a contribution or 368
452	452	contributions to, or for the benefit of, a political committee formed by a 369
453	453	slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, in 370
454	454	excess of two hundred fifty dollars. 371
455	455	[(c) No individual shall make contributions to such candidates or 372
456	456	committees which in the aggregate exceed thirty thousand dollars for 373
457	457	any single election and primary preliminary to such election.] 374
458	458	[(d) No] (c) An individual shall not make a contribution to any 375
459	459	candidate or committee, other than a contribution in kind, in excess of 376
460	460	one hundred dollars, except by personal check or credit card of that 377
461	461	individual. 378
462	462	[(e) No] (d) An individual who is less than eighteen years of age 379
463	463	shall not make a contribution or contributions, in excess of thirty 380
464	464	dollars to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request 381
465	465	of: (1) A candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any 382
466	466	candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary to any office; (2) a 383
467	467	candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's 384
468	468	campaign for election to any office; (3) an exploratory committee; (4) 385
469	469	any other political committee in any calendar year; or (5) a party 386
470	470	committee in any calendar year. Notwithstanding any provision of 387
471	471	subdivision (2) of section 9-7b, any individual who is less than 388
472	472	eighteen years of age who violates any provision of this subsection 389
473	473	shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivision (2) of section 9-7b. 390
474	474	Sec. 9. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-712 of the 391
475	475	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 392
476	476	thereof (Effective from passage): 393
477	477	(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the 394
478	478	statements required to be filed pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of 395
479	479	this subsection shall not be required to be filed by (A) a candidate 396
480	480	committee of a candidate that is exempt from filing campaign finance 397
481	481	statements pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-608 unless or until 398
482	482	such a candidate committee receives or expends an amount in excess 399 Raised Bill No. 1044
483	483
484	484
485	485
486	486	LCO No. 5321 14 of 16
487	487
488	488	of one thousand dollars for purposes of the primary or election for 400
489	489	which such committee was formed, (B) a candidate committee of a 401
490	490	candidate who is no longer eligible for a position on the ballot, or (C) a 402
491	491	candidate committee of a participating candidate that is unopposed or 403
492	492	of a nonparticipating candidate that is unopposed or opposed only by 404
493	493	a nonparticipating candidate or candidates, except that such candidate 405
494	494	committee shall file a supplemental statement on the last Thursday 406
495	495	before the applicable primary or general election. Such statement shall 407
496	496	be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. of the second day 408
497	497	immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall 409
498	498	cover a period beginning with the first day not included in the last 410
499	499	filed statement. 411
500	500	Sec. 10. Subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of section 9-7a of the 412
501	501	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 413
502	502	thereof (Effective from passage): 414
503	503	(g) (1) In the case of a written complaint filed with the commission 415
504	504	pursuant to section 9-7b, commission staff shall conduct and complete 416
505	505	a preliminary examination of such complaint by the fourteenth day 417
506	506	following its receipt, at which time such staff shall, at its discretion, (A) 418
507	507	dismiss the complaint for failure to allege any substantial violation of 419
508	508	state election law supported by evidence, (B) engage the respondent in 420
509	509	discussions in an effort to speedily resolve any matter pertaining to a 421
510	510	de minimis violation, or (C) investigate and docket the complaint for a 422
511	511	determination by the commission that probable cause or no probable 423
512	512	cause exists for any such violation. If commission staff dismisses a 424
513	513	complaint pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, such staff 425
514	514	shall provide a brief written statement concisely setting forth the 426
515	515	reasons for such dismissal. If commission staff engages a respondent 427
516	516	pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this subdivision but is unable to 428
517	517	speedily resolve any such matter described in said subparagraph by 429
518	518	the forty-fifth day following receipt of the complaint, such staff shall 430
519	519	docket such complaint for a determination by the commission that 431
520	520	probable cause or no probable cause exists for any violation of state 432
521	521	election law. If the commission does not, by the sixtieth day following 433 Raised Bill No. 1044
522	522
523	523
524	524
525	525	LCO No. 5321 15 of 16
526	526
527	527	receipt of the complaint, either issue a decision or render its 434
528	528	determination that probable cause or no probable cause exists for any 435
529	529	violation of state election laws, the complainant or respondent may 436
530	530	apply to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford for an 437
531	531	order to show cause why the commission has not acted upon the 438
532	532	complaint and to provide evidence that the commission has 439
533	533	unreasonably delayed action. For any complaint received on or after 440
534	534	January 1, 2018, if the commission does not, by one year following 441
535	535	receipt of such complaint, [issue a decision thereon] find reason to 442
536	536	believe, pursuant to section 9-7b-35 of the regulations of Connecticut 443
537	537	state agencies, that a violation of state election law has been 444
538	538	committed, the commission shall dismiss such complaint, provided the 445
539	539	length of time of any delay caused by (i) the commission or 446
540	540	commission staff granting any extension or continuance to a 447
541	541	respondent prior to the issuance of any such decision, (ii) any 448
542	542	subpoena issued in connection with such complaint, (iii) any litigation 449
543	543	in state or federal court related to such complaint, [or] (iv) any 450
544	544	investigation by the commission or commission staff (I) involving a 451
545	545	potential violation of section 9-601c or 9-601d, as amended by this act, 452
546	546	or (II) involving a potential violation of state election law by any 453
547	547	foreign national or foreign-influenced entity, or (v) any investigation 454
548	548	by, or consultation of the commission or commission staff with, the 455
549	549	Chief State's Attorney, the Attorney General, the United States 456
550	550	Department of Justice or the United States Attorney for Connecticut 457
551	551	related to such complaint, shall be added to such one year. 458
552	552	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
553	553	sections:
554	554
555	555	Section 1 January 1, 2020 9-705(i)(3)
556	556	Sec. 2 January 1, 2020 9-702(c)
557	557	Sec. 3 from passage 9-718
558	558	Sec. 4 from passage 9-7a(a)(2)
559	559	Sec. 5 from passage 9-601a(a)
560	560	Sec. 6 from passage 9-601b(a) and (b)
561	561	Sec. 7 from passage 9-608(a)(1)
562	562	Sec. 8 from passage 9-611 Raised Bill No. 1044
563	563
564	564
565	565
566	566	LCO No. 5321 16 of 16
567	567
568	568	Sec. 9 from passage 9-712(a)(4)
569	569	Sec. 10 from passage 9-7a(g)(1)
570	570
571	571	Statement of Purpose:
572	572	To (1) eliminate grants from the Citizens' Election Fund for candidates
573	573	without an opponent, (2) modify the amounts of organization
574	574	expenditures that state central, legislative caucus and legislative
575	575	leadership committees may make to participating candidates, (3)
576	576	permit members of the State Elections Enforcement Commission to
577	577	serve more than two consecutive terms, and (4) revise the manner in
578	578	which the commission processes complaints.
579	579	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
580	580	except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
581	581	not underlined.]
582	582