REFERENCE TITLE: campaign finance; contributions; disclosures; itemization

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

2021

 

 

SB 1104

 

Introduced by

Senator Mesnard

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending section 16-926, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to campaign contributions and expenses.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Section 16-926, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-926.  Campaign finance reports; contents

A.  A committee shall file campaign finance reports with the filing officer.  The secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16‑452 shall prescribe the format for all reports and statements.

B.  A campaign finance report shall set forth:

1.  The amount of cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period.

2.  Total receipts during the reporting period, including:

(a)  An itemized list of receipts in the following categories, including the source, amount and date of receipt, together with the total of all receipts in each category:

(i)  Contributions from in-state individuals whose contributions exceed fifty dollars $50 for that election cycle, including identification of the contributor's occupation and employer.

(ii)  contributions from out-of-state individuals, including identification of the CONTRIBUTOR'S occupation and employer.

(ii)  (iii)  Contributions from candidate committees.

(iii)  (iv)  Contributions from political action committees.

(iv)  (v)  Contributions from political parties.

(v)  (vi)  Contributions from partnerships.

(vi)  (vii)  For a political action committee or political party, contributions from corporations and limited liability companies, including identification of the corporation's or limited liability company's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(vii)  (viii)  For a political action committee or political party, contributions from labor organizations, including identification of the labor organization's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(viii)  (ix)  For a candidate committee, a candidate's contribution of personal monies.

(ix)  (x)  All loans, including identification of any endorser or guarantor other than a candidate's spouse, and the contribution amount endorsed or guaranteed by each.

(x)  (xi)  Rebates and refunds.

(xi)  (xii)  Interest on committee monies.

(xii)  (xiii)  The fair market value of in-kind contributions received.

(xiii)  (xiv)  Extensions of credit that remain outstanding, including identification of the creditor and the purpose of the extension.

(b)  The aggregate amount of contributions from all in-state individuals whose contributions do not exceed fifty dollars $50 for the election cycle, except that after receiving a combined total of $5,000 from in-state contributors who each CONTRIBUTED an individual aggregate of $50 or less to the committee during the election cycle, the campaign finance report shall identify every subsequent individual in-state CONTRIBUTOR, and the amount and date of each contribution.

3.  An itemized list of all disbursements in excess of two hundred fifty dollars $250 during the reporting period in the following categories, including the recipient, the recipient's address, a description of the disbursement and the amount and date of the disbursement, together with the total of all disbursements in each category:

(a)  Disbursements for operating expenses.

(b)  Contributions to candidate committees.

(c)  Contributions to political action committees.

(d)  Contributions to political parties.

(e)  Contributions to partnerships.

(f)  For a political action committee or political party, contributions to corporations and limited liability companies, including identification of the corporation's or limited liability company's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(g)  For a political action committee or political party, contributions to labor organizations, including identification of the labor organization's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(h)  Repayment of loans.

(i)  Refunds of contributions.

(j)  Loans made.

(k)  The value of in-kind contributions provided.

(l)  Independent expenditures that are made to advocate the election or defeat of a candidate, including identification of the candidate, office sought by the candidate, election date, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(m)  Expenditures to advocate the passage or defeat of a ballot measure, including identification of the ballot measure, ballot measure serial number, election date, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(n)  Expenditures to advocate for or against the issuance of a recall election order or for the election or defeat of a candidate in a recall election, including identification of the officer to be recalled or candidate supported or opposed, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(o)  Any other disbursements or expenditures.

4.  The total sum of all receipts and disbursements for the reporting period.

5.  A certification by the committee treasurer, issued under penalty of perjury, that the contents of the report are true and correct.

C.  For the purposes of reporting under subsection B of this section:

1.  A contribution is deemed to be received either on the date the committee knowingly takes possession of the contribution or the date of the check or credit card payment.  For an in-kind contribution of services, the contribution is deemed made either on the date the services are performed or the date the committee receives the services.

2.  An expenditure or disbursement is deemed made either on the date the committee authorizes the monies to be spent or the date the monies are withdrawn from the committee's account.  For a transaction by check, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee signs the check.  For a credit card transaction on paper, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee signs the authorization to charge the credit card.  For an electronic transaction, an expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee electronically authorizes the charge.  For an agreement to purchase goods or services, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made either on the date the parties enter into the agreement or the date the purchase order is issued.

3.  A committee may record its transactions using any of the methods authorized by this subsection but for each type of contribution, expenditure or disbursement made or received, the committee shall use a consistent method of recording transactions throughout the election cycle.

D.  The amount of an in-kind contribution of services shall be equal to the usual and normal charges for the services on the date performed.

E.  If any receipt or disbursement is earmarked, the committee shall report the identity of the person to whom the receipt or disbursement is earmarked.

F.  Candidate committee reports shall be cumulative for the election cycle to which they relate.  Political action committee and political party reports shall be cumulative for a two-year election cycle ending in the year of a statewide general election.  If there has been no change during the reporting period in an item listed in the immediately preceding report, only the amount need be carried forward.

G.  For a political action committee that receives individual contributions through a payroll deduction plan, that committee is not required to separately itemize each contribution received from the contributor during the reporting period.  In lieu of itemization, the committee may report all of the following:

1.  The aggregate amount of contributions received from the contributor through the payroll deduction plan during the reporting period.

2.  The individual's identity.

3.  The amount deducted per pay period.

H.  An entity that makes independent expenditures or ballot measure expenditures in excess of one thousand dollars $1,000 during a reporting period shall file an expenditure report with the filing officer for the applicable reporting period.  Expenditure reports shall identify the candidate or ballot measure supported or opposed, office sought by the candidate, if any, election date, mode of advertising and first date of publication, display, delivery or broadcast of the advertisement. END_STATUTE