Download Zipped Introduced WordPerfect SB0073.ZIP
[Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

S.B. 73

             1     

PERSONAL USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS

             2     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Karen Hale

             5     
House Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Election Code by enacting provisions governing the personal use
             10      and disposition of campaign funds.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    establishes requirements for the disposition or transfer of monies remaining in
             15      campaign accounts;
             16          .    prohibits owners of campaign accounts from expending campaign monies for
             17      personal use; and
             18          .    provides a civil penalty for a violation of the requirements.
             19      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          20A-11-101, as last amended by Chapter 90, Laws of Utah 2004
             26          20A-11-201, as last amended by Chapter 355, Laws of Utah 1997
             27          20A-11-301, as last amended by Chapter 355, Laws of Utah 1997


             28          20A-11-402, as last amended by Chapter 355, Laws of Utah 1997
             29          20A-11-1301, as enacted by Chapter 355, Laws of Utah 1997
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 20A-11-101 is amended to read:
             33           20A-11-101. Definitions.
             34          As used in this chapter:
             35          (1) "Address" means the number and street where an individual resides or where a
             36      reporting entity has its principal office.
             37          (2) "Ballot proposition" includes initiatives, referenda, proposed constitutional
             38      amendments, and any other ballot propositions submitted to the voters that are authorized by
             39      the Utah Code Annotated 1953.
             40          (3) "Candidate" means any person who:
             41          (a) files a declaration of candidacy for a public office; or
             42          (b) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
             43      receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination or election
             44      to a public office.
             45          (4) "Chief election officer" means:
             46          (a) the lieutenant governor for state office candidates, legislative office candidates,
             47      officeholders, political parties, political action committees, corporations, political issues
             48      committees, and state school board candidates; and
             49          (b) the county clerk for local school board candidates.
             50          (5) "Continuing political party" means an organization of voters that participated in the
             51      last regular general election and polled a total vote equal to 2% or more of the total votes cast
             52      for all candidates for the United States House of Representatives.
             53          (6) (a) "Contribution" means any of the following when done for political purposes:
             54          (i) a gift, subscription, donation, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of
             55      value given to the filing entity;
             56          (ii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make a gift,
             57      subscription, donation, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of money or
             58      anything of value to the filing entity;


             59          (iii) any transfer of funds from another reporting entity or a corporation to the filing
             60      entity;
             61          (iv) compensation paid by any person or reporting entity other than the filing entity for
             62      personal services provided without charge to the filing entity;
             63          (v) remuneration from any organization or its directly affiliated organization that has a
             64      registered lobbyist to compensate a legislator for a loss of salary or income while the
             65      Legislature is in session;
             66          (vi) salaries or other remuneration paid to a legislator by any agency or subdivision of
             67      the state, including school districts, for the period the Legislature is in session; and
             68          (vii) goods or services provided to or for the benefit of the filing entity at less than fair
             69      market value.
             70          (b) "Contribution" does not include:
             71          (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
             72      of their time on behalf of the filing entity; or
             73          (ii) money lent to the filing entity by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
             74      business.
             75          (7) (a) "Corporation" means a domestic or foreign, profit or nonprofit, business
             76      organization that is registered as a corporation or is authorized to do business in a state and
             77      makes any expenditure from corporate funds for:
             78          (i) political purposes; or
             79          (ii) the purpose of influencing the approval or the defeat of any ballot proposition.
             80          (b) "Corporation" does not mean:
             81          (i) a business organization's political action committee or political issues committee; or
             82          (ii) a business entity organized as a partnership or a sole proprietorship.
             83          (8) "Detailed listing" means:
             84          (a) for each contribution or public service assistance:
             85          (i) the name and address of the individual or source making the contribution or public
             86      service assistance;
             87          (ii) the amount or value of the contribution or public service assistance; and
             88          (iii) the date the contribution or public service assistance was made; and
             89          (b) for each expenditure:


             90          (i) the amount of the expenditure;
             91          (ii) the person or entity to whom it was disbursed;
             92          (iii) the specific purpose, item, or service acquired by the expenditure; and
             93          (iv) the date the expenditure was made.
             94          (9) "Election" means each:
             95          (a) regular general election;
             96          (b) regular primary election; and
             97          (c) special election at which candidates are eliminated and selected.
             98          (10) (a) "Expenditure" means:
             99          (i) any disbursement from contributions, receipts, or from the separate bank account
             100      required by this chapter;
             101          (ii) a purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money,
             102      or anything of value made for political purposes;
             103          (iii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make any
             104      purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or anything of
             105      value for political purposes;
             106          (iv) compensation paid by a corporation or filing entity for personal services rendered
             107      by a person without charge to a reporting entity;
             108          (v) a transfer of funds between the filing entity and a candidate's personal campaign
             109      committee; or
             110          (vi) goods or services provided by the filing entity to or for the benefit of another
             111      reporting entity for political purposes at less than fair market value.
             112          (b) "Expenditure" does not include:
             113          (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
             114      of their time on behalf of a reporting entity;
             115          (ii) money lent to a reporting entity by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
             116      business; or
             117          (iii) anything listed in Subsection (10)(a) that is given by a corporation or reporting
             118      entity to candidates for office or officeholders in states other than Utah.
             119          (11) "Filing entity" means the reporting entity that is filing a report required by this
             120      chapter.


             121          (12) "Financial statement" includes any summary report, interim report, or other
             122      statement disclosing contributions, expenditures, receipts, donations, or disbursements that is
             123      required by this chapter.
             124          (13) "Governing board" means the individual or group of individuals that determine the
             125      candidates and committees that will receive expenditures from a political action committee.
             126          (14) "Incorporation" means the process established by Title 10, Chapter 2, Part 1,
             127      Incorporation, by which a geographical area becomes legally recognized as a city or town.
             128          (15) "Incorporation election" means the election authorized by Section 10-2-111 .
             129          (16) "Incorporation petition" means a petition authorized by Section 10-2-109 .
             130          (17) "Individual" means a natural person.
             131          (18) "Interim report" means a report identifying the contributions received and
             132      expenditures made since the last report.
             133          (19) "Legislative office" means the office of state senator, state representative, speaker
             134      of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, and the leader, whip, and assistant
             135      whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature.
             136          (20) "Legislative office candidate" means a person who:
             137          (a) files a declaration of candidacy for the office of state senator or state representative;
             138          (b) declares himself to be a candidate for, or actively campaigns for, the position of
             139      speaker of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, or the leader, whip, and
             140      assistant whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature; and
             141          (c) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
             142      receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination or election
             143      to a legislative office.
             144          (21) "Newly registered political party" means an organization of voters that has
             145      complied with the petition and organizing procedures of this chapter to become a registered
             146      political party.
             147          (22) "Officeholder" means a person who holds a public office.
             148          (23) "Party committee" means any committee organized by or authorized by the
             149      governing board of a registered political party.
             150          (24) "Person" means both natural and legal persons, including individuals, business
             151      organizations, personal campaign committees, party committees, political action committees,


             152      political issues committees, labor unions, and labor organizations.
             153          (25) "Personal campaign committee" means the committee appointed by a candidate to
             154      act for the candidate as provided in this chapter.
             155          (26) (a) "Personal use expenditure" means an expenditure that provides a benefit of any
             156      kind to a candidate, legislative office candidate, or officeholder that is not reasonably related
             157      to:
             158          (i) political purposes; or
             159          (ii) fulfilling the duties of the office to which the candidate, legislative office
             160      candidate, or officeholder was elected.
             161          (b) "Personal use expenditure " does not mean an expenditure for political purposes.
             162          [(26)] (27) (a) "Political action committee" means an entity, or any group of
             163      individuals or entities within or outside this state, that solicits or receives contributions from
             164      any other person, group, or entity or makes expenditures for political purposes. A group or
             165      entity may not divide or separate into units, sections, or smaller groups for the purpose of
             166      avoiding the financial reporting requirements of this chapter, and substance shall prevail over
             167      form in determining the scope or size of a political action committee.
             168          (b) "Political action committee" includes groups affiliated with a registered political
             169      party but not authorized or organized by the governing board of the registered political party
             170      that receive contributions or makes expenditures for political purposes.
             171          (c) "Political action committee" does not mean:
             172          (i) a party committee;
             173          (ii) any entity that provides goods or services to a candidate or committee in the regular
             174      course of its business at the same price that would be provided to the general public;
             175          (iii) an individual;
             176          (iv) individuals who are related and who make contributions from a joint checking
             177      account;
             178          (v) a corporation; or
             179          (vi) a personal campaign committee.
             180          [(27)] (28) "Political convention" means a county or state political convention held by
             181      a registered political party to select candidates.
             182          [(28)] (29) (a) "Political issues committee" means an entity, or any group of individuals


             183      or entities within or outside this state, that solicits or receives donations from any other person,
             184      group, or entity or makes disbursements to influence, or to intend to influence, directly or
             185      indirectly, any person to:
             186          (i) assist in placing a statewide ballot proposition on the ballot, assist in keeping a
             187      statewide ballot proposition off the ballot, or refrain from voting or vote for or vote against any
             188      statewide ballot proposition; or
             189          (ii) sign or refuse to sign an incorporation petition or refrain from voting, vote for, or
             190      vote against any proposed incorporation in an incorporation election.
             191          (b) "Political issues committee" does not mean:
             192          (i) a registered political party or a party committee;
             193          (ii) any entity that provides goods or services to an individual or committee in the
             194      regular course of its business at the same price that would be provided to the general public;
             195          (iii) an individual;
             196          (iv) individuals who are related and who make contributions from a joint checking
             197      account; or
             198          (v) a corporation, except a corporation whose apparent purpose is to act as a political
             199      issues committee.
             200          [(29)] (30) (a) "Political issues contribution" means any of the following:
             201          (i) a gift, subscription, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of money or
             202      anything of value given to a political issues committee;
             203          (ii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make a political
             204      issues donation to influence the approval or defeat of any ballot proposition;
             205          (iii) any transfer of funds received by a political issues committee from a reporting
             206      entity;
             207          (iv) compensation paid by another reporting entity for personal services rendered
             208      without charge to a political issues committee; and
             209          (v) goods or services provided to or for the benefit of a political issues committee at
             210      less than fair market value.
             211          (b) "Political issues contribution" does not include:
             212          (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
             213      of their time on behalf of a political issues committee; or


             214          (ii) money lent to a political issues committee by a financial institution in the ordinary
             215      course of business.
             216          [(30)] (31) (a) "Political issues expenditure" means any of the following:
             217          (i) any payment from political issues contributions made for the purpose of influencing
             218      the approval or the defeat of a statewide ballot proposition;
             219          (ii) a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money made for
             220      the purpose of influencing the approval or the defeat of a statewide ballot proposition;
             221          (iii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make any
             222      political issues expenditure;
             223          (iv) compensation paid by a reporting entity for personal services rendered by a person
             224      without charge to a political issues committee; or
             225          (v) goods or services provided to or for the benefit of another reporting entity at less
             226      than fair market value.
             227          (b) "Political issues expenditure" does not include:
             228          (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
             229      of their time on behalf of a political issues committee; or
             230          (ii) money lent to a political issues committee by a financial institution in the ordinary
             231      course of business.
             232          [(31)] (32) "Political purposes" means an act done with the intent or in a way to
             233      influence or tend to influence, directly or indirectly, any person to refrain from voting or to vote
             234      for or against any candidate for public office at any caucus, political convention, primary, or
             235      election.
             236          [(32)] (33) "Primary election" means any regular primary election held under the
             237      election laws.
             238          [(33)] (34) "Public office" means the office of governor, lieutenant governor, state
             239      auditor, state treasurer, attorney general, state or local school board member, state senator, state
             240      representative, speaker of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, and the leader,
             241      whip, and assistant whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature.
             242          [(34)] (35) (a) "Public service assistance" means the following when given or provided
             243      to an officeholder to defray the costs of functioning in a public office or aid the officeholder to
             244      communicate with the officeholder's constituents:


             245          (i) a gift, subscription, donation, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of
             246      money or anything of value to an officeholder; or
             247          (ii) goods or services provided at less than fair market value to or for the benefit of the
             248      officeholder.
             249          (b) "Public service assistance" does not include:
             250          (i) anything provided by the state;
             251          (ii) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
             252      of their time on behalf of an officeholder;
             253          (iii) money lent to an officeholder by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
             254      business;
             255          (iv) news coverage or any publication by the news media; or
             256          (v) any article, story, or other coverage as part of any regular publication of any
             257      organization unless substantially all the publication is devoted to information about the
             258      officeholder.
             259          [(35)] (36) "Publicly identified class of individuals" means a group of 50 or more
             260      individuals sharing a common occupation, interest, or association that contribute to a political
             261      action committee or political issues committee and whose names can be obtained by contacting
             262      the political action committee or political issues committee upon whose financial report they
             263      are listed.
             264          [(36)] (37) "Receipts" means contributions and public service assistance.
             265          [(37)] (38) "Registered lobbyist" means a person registered under Title 36, Chapter 11,
             266      Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act.
             267          [(38)] (39) "Registered political action committee" means any political action
             268      committee that is required by this chapter to file a statement of organization with the lieutenant
             269      governor's office.
             270          [(39)] (40) "Registered political issues committee" means any political issues
             271      committee that is required by this chapter to file a statement of organization with the lieutenant
             272      governor's office.
             273          [(40)] (41) "Registered political party" means an organization of voters that:
             274          (a) participated in the last regular general election and polled a total vote equal to 2%
             275      or more of the total votes cast for all candidates for the United States House of Representatives


             276      for any of its candidates for any office; or
             277          (b) has complied with the petition and organizing procedures of this chapter.
             278          [(41)] (42) "Report" means a verified financial statement.
             279          [(42)] (43) "Reporting entity" means a candidate, a candidate's personal campaign
             280      committee, an officeholder, and a party committee, a political action committee, and a political
             281      issues committee.
             282          [(43)] (44) "School board office" means the office of state school board or local school
             283      board.
             284          [(44)] (45) (a) "Source" means the person or entity that is the legal owner of the
             285      tangible or intangible asset that comprises the contribution.
             286          (b) "Source" means, for political action committees and corporations, the political
             287      action committee and the corporation as entities, not the contributors to the political action
             288      committee or the owners or shareholders of the corporation.
             289          [(45)] (46) "State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney
             290      general, state auditor, and state treasurer.
             291          [(46)] (47) "State office candidate" means a person who:
             292          (a) files a declaration of candidacy for a state office; or
             293          (b) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
             294      receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination or election
             295      to a state office.
             296          [(47)] (48) "Summary report" means the year end report containing the summary of a
             297      reporting entity's contributions and expenditures.
             298          [(48)] (49) "Supervisory board" means the individual or group of individuals that
             299      allocate expenditures from a political issues committee.
             300          Section 2. Section 20A-11-201 is amended to read:
             301           20A-11-201. State office candidate -- Separate bank account for campaign funds.
             302          (1) (a) Each state office candidate or the candidate's personal campaign committee
             303      shall deposit each contribution and public service assistance received in one or more separate
             304      campaign accounts in a financial institution.
             305          (b) (i) The state office candidate or the candidate's personal campaign committee may
             306      use the monies in those accounts only for political purposes.


             307          (ii) The state office candidate or the candidate's personal committee may not use the
             308      monies in those accounts for personal use expenditures.
             309          (2) A state office candidate or the candidate's personal campaign committee may not
             310      deposit or mingle any contributions received into a personal or business account.
             311          (3) If a person [who] withdraws or is eliminated in a convention, primary, or regular
             312      general election, or is no longer a state office candidate [chooses not to expend the monies
             313      remaining in his campaign account], the person shall dispose of monies remaining in the
             314      person's campaign account by:
             315          (a) donating the monies to a registered political party or political action committee;
             316          (b) donating the monies to the state General Fund;
             317          (c) expending the monies for political purposes;
             318          (d) donating the monies to a tax-exempt, nonprofit entity;
             319          (e) repaying documented loans to the state office candidate's campaign;
             320          (f) donating the monies to another candidate's campaign account;
             321          (g) transferring the monies to an escrow account for the person to use as a candidate for
             322      public office; or
             323          (h) some combination of Subsections (3)(a) through (g).
             324          (4) (a) The person shall continue to file the year-end summary report required by
             325      Section 20A-11-203 until the statement of dissolution and final summary report required by
             326      Section 20A-11-205 are filed with the lieutenant governor.
             327          (b) Any person who fails to file the report required by this Subsection (4) is subject to
             328      an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.
             329          Section 3. Section 20A-11-301 is amended to read:
             330           20A-11-301. Legislative office candidate -- Campaign requirements.
             331          (1) Each legislative office candidate shall deposit each contribution and public service
             332      assistance received in one or more separate accounts in a financial institution that are dedicated
             333      only to that purpose.
             334          (2) A legislative office candidate may not deposit or mingle any contributions or public
             335      service assistance received into a personal or business account.
             336          (3) (a) A legislative office candidate may not make any political expenditures
             337      prohibited by law.


             338          (b) A legislative office candidate may not use monies in the accounts required by this
             339      section for personal use expenditures.
             340          (4) If a person [who] withdraws or is eliminated in a convention, primary, or regular
             341      general election, or is no longer a legislative candidate [chooses not to expend the monies
             342      remaining in his campaign account], the person shall dispose of monies remaining in the
             343      person's campaign account by:
             344          (a) donating the monies to a registered political party or political action committee;
             345          (b) donating the monies to the state General Fund;
             346          (c) expending the monies for political purposes;
             347          (d) donating the monies to a tax-exempt, nonprofit entity;
             348          (e) repaying documented loans to the legislative office candidate's campaign;
             349          (f) donating the monies to another candidate's campaign account;
             350          (g) transferring the monies to an escrow account for the person to use as a candidate for
             351      public office; or
             352          (h) some combination of Subsections (4)(a) through (g).
             353          (5) (a) The person shall continue to file the year-end summary report required by
             354      Section 20A-11-302 until the statement of dissolution and final summary report required by
             355      Section 20A-11-304 are filed with the lieutenant governor.
             356          (b) Any person who fails to file the report required by this Subsection (5) is subject to
             357      an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.
             358          Section 4. Section 20A-11-402 is amended to read:
             359           20A-11-402. Officeholder financial reporting requirements -- Termination of
             360      duty to report.
             361          (1) An officeholder is active and subject to reporting requirements until the
             362      officeholder has filed a statement of dissolution with the lieutenant governor stating that:
             363          (a) the officeholder is no longer receiving contributions or public service assistance and
             364      is no longer making expenditures;
             365          (b) the ending balance on the last summary report filed is zero and the balance in the
             366      separate bank account required by Sections 20A-11-201 and 20A-11-301 is zero; and
             367          (c) a final summary report in the form required by Section 20A-11-401 showing a zero
             368      balance is attached to the statement of dissolution.


             369          (2) A statement of dissolution and a final summary report may be filed at any time.
             370          (3) (a) Each officeholder shall continue to file the year-end summary report required by
             371      Section 20A-11-401 until the statement of dissolution and final summary report required by
             372      this section are filed with the lieutenant governor.
             373          (b) Any person who fails to file the report required by this Subsection (3) is subject to
             374      an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.
             375          (4) When an officeholder leaves office, the person shall dispose of monies remaining
             376      in the person's campaign accounts required by Sections 20A-11-201 and 20A-11-301 by:
             377          (a) donating the monies to a registered political party or political action committee;
             378          (b) donating the monies to the state General Fund;
             379          (c) expending the monies for political purposes;
             380          (d) donating the monies to a tax-exempt, nonprofit entity;
             381          (e) repaying documented loans to the officeholder's campaign;
             382          (f) donating the monies to another candidate's campaign account;
             383          (g) transferring the monies to an escrow account for the person to use as a candidate for
             384      public office; or
             385          (h) some combination of Subsections (4)(a) through (g).
             386          Section 5. Section 20A-11-1301 is amended to read:
             387           20A-11-1301. School board office candidate -- Campaign requirements.
             388          (1) Each school board office candidate shall deposit each contribution and public
             389      service assistance received in one or more separate accounts in a financial institution that are
             390      dedicated only to that purpose.
             391          (2) (a) A school board office candidate may not deposit or mingle any contributions or
             392      public service assistance received into a personal or business account.
             393          (b) The school board office candidate may not use the monies in those accounts for
             394      personal use expenditures.
             395          (3) A school board office candidate may not make any political expenditures prohibited
             396      by law.
             397          (4) If a person [who] withdraws or is eliminated in a regular general election or is no
             398      longer a school board candidate [chooses not to expend the monies remaining in his campaign
             399      account], the person shall dispose of monies remaining in the person's campaign account by:


             400          (a) donating the monies to a registered political party or political action committee;
             401          (b) donating the monies to the state General Fund;
             402          (c) expending the monies for political purposes;
             403          (d) donating the monies to a tax-exempt, nonprofit entity;
             404          (e) repaying documented loans to the school board office candidate's campaign;
             405          (f) donating the monies to another candidate's campaign account;
             406          (g) transferring the monies to an escrow account for the person to use as a candidate for
             407      public office; or
             408          (h) some combination of Subsections (4)(a) through (g).
             409          (5) (a) The person shall continue to file the year-end summary report required by
             410      Section 20A-11-1302 until the statement of dissolution and final summary report required by
             411      Section 20A-11-1304 are filed with:
             412          [(a)] (i) the lieutenant governor in the case of a state school board candidate; and
             413          [(b)] (ii) the county clerk, in the case of a local school board candidate.
             414          (b) Any person who fails to file the report required by this Subsection (5) is subject to
             415      an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-22-05 3:59 PM


Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]