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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill amends Title 20A, Chapter 11, Campaign and Financial Reporting
10 Requirements, by establishing and enforcing contribution limits.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms;
14 ▸ establishes campaign contribution limits;
15 ▸ makes it a class B misdemeanor to violate the contribution limits described in this
16 bill; and
17 ▸ makes technical changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 20A-11-101, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapters 155 and 165
25 ENACTS:
26 20A-11-604, Utah Code Annotated 1953
27 20A-11-706, Utah Code Annotated 1953
28 20A-11-1504, Utah Code Annotated 1953
29 20A-11-1801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
30 20A-11-1802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31 20A-11-1803, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32 20A-11-1804, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33
34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 20A-11-101 is amended to read:
36 20A-11-101. Definitions.
37 As used in this chapter:
38 (1) "Address" means the number and street where an individual resides or where a
39 reporting entity has its principal office.
40 (2) "Agent of a reporting entity" means:
41 (a) a person acting on behalf of a reporting entity at the direction of the reporting
42 entity;
43 (b) a person employed by a reporting entity in the reporting entity's capacity as a
44 reporting entity;
45 (c) the personal campaign committee of a candidate or officeholder;
46 (d) a member of the personal campaign committee of a candidate or officeholder in the
47 member's capacity as a member of the personal campaign committee of the candidate or
48 officeholder; or
49 (e) a political consultant of a reporting entity.
50 (3) "Ballot proposition" includes initiatives, referenda, proposed constitutional
51 amendments, and any other ballot propositions submitted to the voters that are authorized by
52 the Utah Code [
53 (4) "Candidate" means any person who:
54 (a) files a declaration of candidacy for a public office; or
55 (b) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
56 receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination or election
57 to a public office.
58 (5) "Cash" means currency or coinage that constitutes legal tender.
59 [
60 (a) the lieutenant governor for state office candidates, legislative office candidates,
61 officeholders, political parties, political action committees, corporations, political issues
62 committees, state school board candidates, judges, and labor organizations, as defined in
63 Section 20A-11-1501; and
64 (b) the county clerk for local school board candidates.
65 [
66 purposes:
67 (i) a gift, subscription, donation, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of
68 value given to the filing entity;
69 (ii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make a gift,
70 subscription, donation, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of money or
71 anything of value to the filing entity;
72 (iii) any transfer of funds from another reporting entity to the filing entity;
73 (iv) compensation paid by any person or reporting entity other than the filing entity for
74 personal services provided without charge to the filing entity;
75 (v) remuneration from:
76 (A) any organization or its directly affiliated organization that has a registered lobbyist;
77 or
78 (B) any agency or subdivision of the state, including school districts;
79 (vi) a loan made by a candidate deposited to the candidate's own campaign; and
80 (vii) in-kind contributions.
81 (b) "Contribution" does not include:
82 (i) services provided by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf
83 of the filing entity if the services are provided without compensation by the filing entity or any
84 other person;
85 (ii) money lent to the filing entity by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
86 business; or
87 (iii) goods or services provided for the benefit of a candidate or political party at less
88 than fair market value that are not authorized by or coordinated with the candidate or political
89 party.
90 (8) "Contribution cycle" means a two-year period that:
91 (a) begins on January 1 of each odd-numbered year; and
92 (b) ends on December 31 of the even-numbered year immediately following the
93 odd-numbered year described in Subsection (8)(a).
94 [
95 candidate or political party are provided:
96 (a) with the candidate's or political party's prior knowledge, if the candidate or political
97 party does not object;
98 (b) by agreement with the candidate or political party;
99 (c) in coordination with the candidate or political party; or
100 (d) using official logos, slogans, and similar elements belonging to a candidate or
101 political party.
102 [
103 organization that is registered as a corporation or is authorized to do business in a state and
104 makes any expenditure from corporate funds for:
105 (i) the purpose of expressly advocating for political purposes; or
106 (ii) the purpose of expressly advocating the approval or the defeat of any ballot
107 proposition.
108 (b) "Corporation" does not mean:
109 (i) a business organization's political action committee or political issues committee; or
110 (ii) a business entity organized as a partnership or a sole proprietorship.
111 [
112 persons within a single county who, under definitions established by the political party, are
113 members of the registered political party.
114 [
115 be submitted by a county political party to the lieutenant governor in accordance with Section
116 20A-8-402.
117 [
118 (a) for each contribution or public service assistance:
119 (i) the name and address of the individual or source making the contribution or public
120 service assistance, except to the extent that the name or address of the individual or source is
121 unknown;
122 (ii) the amount or value of the contribution or public service assistance; and
123 (iii) the date the contribution or public service assistance was made; and
124 (b) for each expenditure:
125 (i) the amount of the expenditure;
126 (ii) the person or entity to whom it was disbursed;
127 (iii) the specific purpose, item, or service acquired by the expenditure; and
128 (iv) the date the expenditure was made.
129 [
130 assessment for membership in the corporation, to a corporation without receiving full and
131 adequate consideration for the money.
132 (b) "Donor" does not include a person that signs a statement that the corporation may
133 not use the money for an expenditure or political issues expenditure.
134 [
135 (a) regular general election;
136 (b) regular primary election; and
137 (c) special election at which candidates are eliminated and selected.
138 [
139 (a) has at least a value of $10,000;
140 (b) clearly identifies a candidate or judge; and
141 (c) is disseminated through the Internet, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising
142 facility, direct mailing, broadcast, cable, or satellite provider within 45 days of the clearly
143 identified candidate's or judge's election date.
144 [
145 an agent of a reporting entity on behalf of the reporting entity:
146 (i) any disbursement from contributions, receipts, or from the separate bank account
147 required by this chapter;
148 (ii) a purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money,
149 or anything of value made for political purposes;
150 (iii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make any
151 purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or anything of
152 value for political purposes;
153 (iv) compensation paid by a filing entity for personal services rendered by a person
154 without charge to a reporting entity;
155 (v) a transfer of funds between the filing entity and a candidate's personal campaign
156 committee; or
157 (vi) goods or services provided by the filing entity to or for the benefit of another
158 reporting entity for political purposes at less than fair market value.
159 (b) "Expenditure" does not include:
160 (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
161 of their time on behalf of a reporting entity;
162 (ii) money lent to a reporting entity by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
163 business; or
164 (iii) anything listed in Subsection [
165 candidates for office or officeholders in states other than Utah.
166 [
167 States Senator, or United States Representative.
168 [
169 statement required by this chapter or Chapter 12, [
170 Selection and Election of Judges.
171 [
172 financial statement, or other statement disclosing contributions, expenditures, receipts,
173 donations, or disbursements that is required by this chapter or Chapter 12, [
174
175 [
176 determine the candidates and committees that will receive expenditures from a political action
177 committee, political party, or corporation.
178 [
179 Municipal Incorporation, by which a geographical area becomes legally recognized as a city,
180 town, or metro township.
181 [
182 10-2a-210 or 10-2a-404.
183 [
184 [
185 [
186 accepted by or coordinated with a filing entity.
187 [
188 expenditures made since the last report.
189 [
190 speaker of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, and the leader, whip, and
191 assistant whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature.
192 [
193 (a) files a declaration of candidacy for the office of state senator or state representative;
194 (b) declares oneself to be a candidate for, or actively campaigns for, the position of
195 speaker of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, or the leader, whip, and
196 assistant whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature; or
197 (c) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
198 receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination, election, or
199 appointment to a legislative office.
200 [
201 filing entity if the person expects repayment or reimbursement:
202 (a) an expenditure made using any form of payment;
203 (b) money or funds received by the filing entity;
204 (c) the provision of a good or service with an agreement or understanding that payment
205 or reimbursement will be delayed; or
206 (d) use of any line of credit.
207 [
208 that have the greatest number of members elected to the two houses of the Legislature.
209 [
210 [
211 governing board of a registered political party.
212 [
213 business organizations, personal campaign committees, party committees, political action
214 committees, political issues committees, and labor organizations, as defined in Section
215 20A-11-1501.
216 [
217 candidate to act for the candidate as provided in this chapter.
218 [
219 20A-11-104.
220 [
221 individuals or entities within or outside this state, a major purpose of which is to:
222 (i) solicit or receive contributions from any other person, group, or entity for political
223 purposes; or
224 (ii) make expenditures to expressly advocate for any person to refrain from voting or to
225 vote for or against any candidate or person seeking election to a municipal or county office.
226 (b) "Political action committee" includes groups affiliated with a registered political
227 party but not authorized or organized by the governing board of the registered political party
228 that receive contributions or makes expenditures for political purposes.
229 (c) "Political action committee" does not mean:
230 (i) a party committee;
231 (ii) any entity that provides goods or services to a candidate or committee in the regular
232 course of its business at the same price that would be provided to the general public;
233 (iii) an individual;
234 (iv) individuals who are related and who make contributions from a joint checking
235 account;
236 (v) a corporation, except a corporation a major purpose of which is to act as a political
237 action committee; or
238 (vi) a personal campaign committee.
239 [
240 or paid by another person on behalf of and with the knowledge of the reporting entity, to
241 provide political advice to the reporting entity.
242 (b) "Political consultant" includes a circumstance described in Subsection [
243 (38)(a), where the person:
244 (i) has already been paid, with money or other consideration;
245 (ii) expects to be paid in the future, with money or other consideration; or
246 (iii) understands that the person may, in the discretion of the reporting entity or another
247 person on behalf of and with the knowledge of the reporting entity, be paid in the future, with
248 money or other consideration.
249 [
250 a registered political party to select candidates.
251 [
252 or entities within or outside this state, a major purpose of which is to:
253 (i) solicit or receive donations from any other person, group, or entity to assist in
254 placing a ballot proposition on the ballot, assist in keeping a ballot proposition off the ballot, or
255 to advocate that a voter refrain from voting or vote for or vote against any ballot proposition;
256 (ii) make expenditures to expressly advocate for any person to sign or refuse to sign a
257 ballot proposition or incorporation petition or refrain from voting, vote for, or vote against any
258 proposed ballot proposition or an incorporation in an incorporation election; or
259 (iii) make expenditures to assist in qualifying or placing a ballot proposition on the
260 ballot or to assist in keeping a ballot proposition off the ballot.
261 (b) "Political issues committee" does not mean:
262 (i) a registered political party or a party committee;
263 (ii) any entity that provides goods or services to an individual or committee in the
264 regular course of its business at the same price that would be provided to the general public;
265 (iii) an individual;
266 (iv) individuals who are related and who make contributions from a joint checking
267 account;
268 (v) a corporation, except a corporation a major purpose of which is to act as a political
269 issues committee; or
270 (vi) a group of individuals who:
271 (A) associate together for the purpose of challenging or supporting a single ballot
272 proposition, ordinance, or other governmental action by a county, city, town, local district,
273 special service district, or other local political subdivision of the state;
274 (B) have a common liberty, property, or financial interest that is directly impacted by
275 the ballot proposition, ordinance, or other governmental action;
276 (C) do not associate together, for the purpose described in Subsection [
277 (40)(b)(vi)(A), via a legal entity;
278 (D) do not receive funds for challenging or supporting the ballot proposition,
279 ordinance, or other governmental action from a person other than an individual in the group;
280 and
281 (E) do not expend a total of more than $5,000 for the purpose described in Subsection
282 [
283 [
284 (i) a gift, subscription, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of money or
285 anything of value given to a political issues committee;
286 (ii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make a political
287 issues donation to influence the approval or defeat of any ballot proposition;
288 (iii) any transfer of funds received by a political issues committee from a reporting
289 entity;
290 (iv) compensation paid by another reporting entity for personal services rendered
291 without charge to a political issues committee; and
292 (v) goods or services provided to or for the benefit of a political issues committee at
293 less than fair market value.
294 (b) "Political issues contribution" does not include:
295 (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
296 of their time on behalf of a political issues committee; or
297 (ii) money lent to a political issues committee by a financial institution in the ordinary
298 course of business.
299 [
300 a political issues committee or on behalf of a political issues committee by an agent of the
301 reporting entity:
302 (i) any payment from political issues contributions made for the purpose of influencing
303 the approval or the defeat of:
304 (A) a ballot proposition; or
305 (B) an incorporation petition or incorporation election;
306 (ii) a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money made for
307 the express purpose of influencing the approval or the defeat of:
308 (A) a ballot proposition; or
309 (B) an incorporation petition or incorporation election;
310 (iii) an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make any
311 political issues expenditure;
312 (iv) compensation paid by a reporting entity for personal services rendered by a person
313 without charge to a political issues committee; or
314 (v) goods or services provided to or for the benefit of another reporting entity at less
315 than fair market value.
316 (b) "Political issues expenditure" does not include:
317 (i) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
318 of their time on behalf of a political issues committee; or
319 (ii) money lent to a political issues committee by a financial institution in the ordinary
320 course of business.
321 [
322 influence or tend to influence, directly or indirectly, any person to refrain from voting or to vote
323 for or against any:
324 (a) candidate or a person seeking a municipal or county office at any caucus, political
325 convention, or election; or
326 (b) judge standing for retention at any election.
327 [
328 knowledge of an individual who has filed a declaration of candidacy for public office, or of a
329 ballot proposition that has legally qualified for placement on the ballot, which is conducted in
330 person or by telephone, facsimile, Internet, postal mail, or email.
331 (b) "Poll" does not include:
332 (i) a ballot; or
333 (ii) an interview of a focus group that is conducted, in person, by one individual, if:
334 (A) the focus group consists of more than three, and less than thirteen, individuals; and
335 (B) all individuals in the focus group are present during the interview.
336 [
337 election laws.
338 [
339 individuals sharing a common occupation, interest, or association that contribute to a political
340 action committee or political issues committee and whose names can be obtained by contacting
341 the political action committee or political issues committee upon whose financial statement the
342 individuals are listed.
343 [
344 auditor, state treasurer, attorney general, state school board member, state senator, state
345 representative, speaker of the House of Representatives, president of the Senate, and the leader,
346 whip, and assistant whip of any party caucus in either house of the Legislature.
347 [
348 to an officeholder to defray the costs of functioning in a public office or aid the officeholder to
349 communicate with the officeholder's constituents:
350 (i) a gift, subscription, donation, unpaid or partially unpaid loan, advance, or deposit of
351 money or anything of value to an officeholder; or
352 (ii) goods or services provided at less than fair market value to or for the benefit of the
353 officeholder.
354 (b) "Public service assistance" does not include:
355 (i) anything provided by the state;
356 (ii) services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all
357 of their time on behalf of an officeholder;
358 (iii) money lent to an officeholder by a financial institution in the ordinary course of
359 business;
360 (iv) news coverage or any publication by the news media; or
361 (v) any article, story, or other coverage as part of any regular publication of any
362 organization unless substantially all the publication is devoted to information about the
363 officeholder.
364 [
365 [
366 Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act.
367 [
368 committee that is required by this chapter to file a statement of organization with the Office of
369 the Lieutenant Governor.
370 [
371 committee that is required by this chapter to file a statement of organization with the Office of
372 the Lieutenant Governor.
373 [
374 (a) participated in the last regular general election and polled a total vote equal to 2%
375 or more of the total votes cast for all candidates for the United States House of Representatives
376 for any of its candidates for any office; or
377 (b) has complied with the petition and organizing procedures of Chapter 8, Political
378 Party Formation and Procedures.
379 [
380 (i) made to a legislator for the period the Legislature is in session; and
381 (ii) that is approximately equivalent to an amount a legislator would have earned
382 during the period the Legislature is in session in the legislator's ordinary course of business.
383 (b) "Remuneration" does not mean anything of economic value given to a legislator by:
384 (i) the legislator's primary employer in the ordinary course of business; or
385 (ii) a person or entity in the ordinary course of business:
386 (A) because of the legislator's ownership interest in the entity; or
387 (B) for services rendered by the legislator on behalf of the person or entity.
388 [
389 committee, a judge, a judge's personal campaign committee, an officeholder, a party
390 committee, a political action committee, a political issues committee, a corporation, or a labor
391 organization, as defined in Section 20A-11-1501.
392 [
393 (57) "School board office candidate" means an individual who:
394 (a) files a declaration of candidacy for a school board office; or
395 (b) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any person to
396 receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the individual's nomination, election,
397 or appointment to a school board office.
398 [
399 tangible or intangible asset that comprises the contribution.
400 (b) "Source" means, for political action committees and corporations, the political
401 action committee and the corporation as entities, not the contributors to the political action
402 committee or the owners or shareholders of the corporation.
403 [
404 general, state auditor, and state treasurer.
405 [
406 (a) files a declaration of candidacy for a state office; or
407 (b) receives contributions, makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to
408 receive contributions or make expenditures to bring about the person's nomination, election, or
409 appointment to a state office.
410 [
411 reporting entity's contributions and expenditures.
412 [
413 allocate expenditures from a political issues committee.
414 Section 2. Section 20A-11-604 is enacted to read:
415 20A-11-604. Limits on contributions by political action committees.
416 (1) A political action committee may not make contributions totaling more than the
417 following amounts per contribution cycle:
418 (a) $20,000 to one state office candidate;
419 (b) $10,000 to one legislative office candidate;
420 (c) $5,000 to one school board office candidate;
421 (d) $5,000 to one political issues committee;
422 (e) $5,000 to one judge;
423 (f) $40,000 to one registered political party;
424 (g) $40,000 to one political action committee; or
425 (h) $40,000 to one labor organization.
426 (2) A political action committee may not make a cash contribution in excess of $100.
427 (3) (a) As used in this Subsection (3), "consumer price index" means the same as that
428 term is described in 405 Section 1(f)(4), Internal Revenue Code, and as that term is defined in
429 Section 1(f)(5), Internal Revenue Code.
430 (b) Beginning on January 1, 2022, the lieutenant governor shall, at the beginning of
431 each contribution cycle, increase or decrease the dollar amounts described in this section by a
432 percentage equal to the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the
433 preceding calendar year and the consumer price index for calendar year 2020, rounded to the
434 nearest whole dollar.
435 Section 3. Section 20A-11-706 is enacted to read:
436 20A-11-706. Limits on contributions by corporations.
437 (1) A corporation may not make contributions totaling more than the following
438 amounts per contribution cycle:
439 (a) $20,000 to one state office candidate;
440 (b) $10,000 to one legislative office candidate;
441 (c) $5,000 to one school board office candidate;
442 (d) $5,000 to one political issues committee;
443 (e) $5,000 to one judge;
444 (f) $40,000 to one registered political party;
445 (g) $40,000 to one political action committee; or
446 (h) $40,000 to one labor organization.
447 (2) A corporation may not make a cash contribution in excess of $100.
448 (3) (a) As used in this Subsection (3), "consumer price index" means the same as that
449 term is described in 405 Section 1(f)(4), Internal Revenue Code, and as that term is defined in
450 Section 1(f)(5), Internal Revenue Code.
451 (b) Beginning on January 1, 2022, the lieutenant governor shall, at the beginning of
452 each contribution cycle, increase or decrease the dollar amounts described in this section by a
453 percentage equal to the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the
454 preceding calendar year and the consumer price index for calendar year 2020, rounded to the
455 nearest whole dollar.
456 Section 4. Section 20A-11-1504 is enacted to read:
457 20A-11-1504. Limits on contributions by labor organizations.
458 (1) As used in this section, "labor organization" means the same as that terms is
459 defined in Section 20A-11-1402.
460 (2) A labor organization may not make contributions totaling more than the following
461 amounts per contribution cycle:
462 (a) $20,000 to one state office candidate;
463 (b) $10,000 to one legislative office candidate;
464 (c) $5,000 to one school board office candidate;
465 (d) $5,000 to one political issues committee;
466 (e) $5,000 to one judge;
467 (f) $40,000 to one registered political party;
468 (g) $40,000 to one political action committee; or
469 (h) $40,000 to one labor organization.
470 (3) A labor organization may not make a cash contribution in excess of $100.
471 (4) (a) As used in this Subsection (4), "consumer price index" means the same as that
472 term is described in 405 Section 1(f)(4), Internal Revenue Code, and as that term is defined in
473 Section 1(f)(5), Internal Revenue Code.
474 (b) Beginning on January 1, 2022, the lieutenant governor shall, at the beginning of
475 each contribution cycle, increase or decrease the dollar amounts described in this section by a
476 percentage equal to the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the
477 preceding calendar year and the consumer price index for calendar year 2020, rounded to the
478 nearest whole dollar.
479 Section 5. Section 20A-11-1801 is enacted to read:
480
481 20A-11-1801. Title.
482 This part is known as "Contribution Limits."
483 Section 6. Section 20A-11-1802 is enacted to read:
484 20A-11-1802. Limits on contributions by an individual.
485 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (4), an individual may not make contributions
486 totaling more than the following amounts per contribution cycle:
487 (a) $20,000 to one state office candidate;
488 (b) $10,000 to one legislative office candidate;
489 (c) $5,000 to one school board office candidate;
490 (d) $5,000 to one political issues committee;
491 (e) $5,000 to one judge;
492 (f) $40,000 to one registered political party;
493 (g) $40,000 to one political action committee; or
494 (h) $40,000 to one labor organization.
495 (2) An individual may not make a cash contribution in excess of $100.
496 (3) (a) As used in this Subsection (3), "consumer price index" means the same as that
497 term is described in 405 Section 1(f)(4), Internal Revenue Code, and as that term is defined in
498 Section 1(f)(5), Internal Revenue Code.
499 (b) Beginning on January 1, 2022, the lieutenant governor shall, at the beginning of
500 each contribution cycle, increase or decrease the dollar amounts described in this section by a
501 percentage equal to the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the
502 preceding calendar year and the consumer price index for calendar year 2020, rounded to the
503 nearest whole dollar.
504 (4) This section does not prohibit an individual from making a contribution of any
505 amount to oneself.
506 Section 7. Section 20A-11-1803 is enacted to read:
507 20A-11-1803. Contribution limit transition.
508 A person may not make a contribution between May 12, 2020, and December 31, 2022,
509 in excess of the applicable contribution limits established in Sections 20A-11-604,
510 20A-11-706, 20A-11-1504, and 20A-11-1802.
511 Section 8. Section 20A-11-1804 is enacted to read:
512 20A-11-1804. Penalty for contributions in excess of limit.
513 (1) A person that makes a contribution in excess of the contribution limits established
514 in Section 20A-11-604, 20A-11-706, 20A-11-1504, 20A-11-1802, or 20A-11-1803 is guilty of
515 a class B misdemeanor.
516 (2) A person that accepts a contribution in excess of the contribution limits established
517 in Section 20A-11-604, 20A-11-706, 20A-11-1504, 20A-11-1802, or 20A-11-1803 is guilty of
518 a class B misdemeanor.