Brief⁽¹⁾

H.B. 2229 would amend the Campaign Finance Act to require political committees and party committees to disclose the name and address of each candidate for state or local office who receives an in-kind contribution or who benefits from an independent expenditure in excess of $50 from such committees. In addition to the names and addresses, the report would have to specify the services or products for which expenditures were made and the amount, date, and purpose of each expenditure. Independent expenditures would be characterized as those made without the cooperation or consent of the candidate and that expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of the candidate. These reporting requirements would be in addition to all other reporting requirements of the Campaign Finance Act.

Background

H.B. 2229 was a recommendation made by the Governmental Ethics Commission to the House Committee on Governmental Organization and Elections. The Executive Director of the Commission testified that under current law political and party committees only have to report the vendor with whom expenditures were made and not the candidate who benefitted.

No opponents testified on the bill.

The Division of the Budget's fiscal note indicated that the passage of H.B. 2229 would have no fiscal impact on state revenues or expenditures.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.