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S.B. 116

             1     

CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR STATE

             2     
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS

             3     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Gregory S. Bell

             6     
House Sponsor: ____________

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Election Code to impose a limit on campaign contributions made
             11      to the governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, and attorney general,
             12      and on candidates for those offices.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    provides definitions;
             16          .    imposes a limit on campaign contributions made to the governor, lieutenant
             17      governor, state auditor, state treasurer, and attorney general, and on candidates for
             18      those offices;
             19          .    prohibits a person other than a registered political party from making campaign
             20      contributions in excess of $10,000 during certain periods;
             21          .    defines the application of the limit in circumstances where a candidate for governor
             22      elects to run for lieutenant governor; and
             23          .    provides criminal penalties for violation of the act.
             24      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          None



             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      ENACTS:
             30          20A-16-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             31          20A-16-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             32          20A-16-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 20A-16-101 is enacted to read:
             36     
CHAPTER 16. LIMITATIONS ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ACT

             37          20A-16-101. Title.
             38          This chapter is known as the "Limitations on Campaign Contributions Act."
             39          Section 2. Section 20A-16-102 is enacted to read:
             40          20A-16-102. Definitions.
             41          As used in this part:
             42          (1) "Contribution" has the meaning as defined in Section 20A-11-101 .
             43          (2) "Person" means both natural and legal persons, including individuals, business
             44      organizations, political action committees, political issues committees, labor unions, and labor
             45      organizations.
             46          (3) "Registered political party" has the meaning as defined in Section 20A-11-101 .
             47          (4) "State office" means the office of:
             48          (a) governor;
             49          (b) lieutenant governor;
             50          (c) state auditor;
             51          (d) state treasurer; or
             52          (e) state attorney general.
             53          (5) "State officer" means:
             54          (a) the governor;
             55          (b) the lieutenant governor;
             56          (c) the state auditor;
             57          (d) the state treasurer; or
             58          (e) the state attorney general.


             59          Section 3. Section 20A-16-103 is enacted to read:
             60          20A-16-103. Limitation on contributions to governor and candidates for governor
             61      -- Criminal penalties.
             62          (1) Subject to Subsection (5), a person may not make a contribution that exceeds
             63      $10,000 or a combination of contributions that exceeds $10,000 to:
             64          (a) a state officer, during the period beginning on the date that the state officer's term
             65      begins and continuing through the earlier of:
             66          (i) midnight on the day that the state officer's term expires; or
             67          (ii) midnight on the day before the state officer files a declaration of candidacy for any
             68      state office; or
             69          (b) a candidate for state office, during any of the following periods:
             70          (i) the period beginning on the date that the candidate files a declaration of candidacy
             71      and continuing through midnight on the date of the state political convention held by the
             72      candidate's registered political party, or midnight on May 15, whichever is earlier;
             73          (ii) the period beginning on the day after the state political convention and continuing
             74      through midnight on the date of the regular primary election; and
             75          (iii) the period beginning on the day after the regular primary election and continuing
             76      through midnight on the day before the date that the term for the state office sought by the
             77      candidate begins.
             78          (2) For the purposes of this section, an incumbent state officer who files a declaration
             79      of candidacy for any state office is considered a candidate for state office and is subject to the
             80      requirements of Subsection (1)(b).
             81          (3) For the purposes of this section:
             82          (a) a contribution to the governor's, lieutenant governor's, candidate for governor's, or
             83      candidate for lieutenant governor's personal campaign committee is considered to have been
             84      made to the individual; and
             85          (b) the following individuals are considered a single contribution recipient:
             86          (i) the governor and the lieutenant governor; and
             87          (ii) candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor on the same ticket.
             88          (4) If a candidate for governor changes his candidacy to run as a candidate for
             89      lieutenant governor on the same ticket as another candidate for governor, beginning at 12:01


             90      a.m. on the date the candidate declares his candidacy for lieutenant governor:
             91          (a) previous contributions made to the candidate changing his candidacy shall be
             92      considered to have been made to the candidate for governor on the same ticket for the purposes
             93      of determining whether or not any new contributions to the governor and lieutenant governor
             94      ticket exceed a contribution limit established under Subsection (1); and
             95          (b) if a person's previous contributions to both the candidate changing his candidacy
             96      and the candidate for governor on the same ticket exceed the limit for the applicable period
             97      established under Subsection (1) when the contributions are combined under Subsection (4)(a):
             98          (i) that person is not in violation of this section for making the previous contributions if
             99      the person's previous contributions to each candidate during the applicable period do not
             100      exceed the individual contribution limit for each candidate; and
             101          (ii) that person will be in violation of this section if the person makes additional
             102      contributions during the applicable period.
             103          (5) This section does not apply to contributions made by a registered political party to a
             104      state officer, a candidate for state office, or a personal campaign committee of a state officer or
             105      candidate for state office.
             106          (6) A person who knowingly or willfully makes a contribution in violation of this
             107      section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
             108          (7) A person who knowingly or willfully accepts a contribution in violation of this
             109      section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-8-07 12:07 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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