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Minutes for HB2312 - Committee on Elections
Short Title
Exempting certain political party committee treasurers from liability for certain violations under the campaign finance act.
Minutes Content for Tue, Feb 21, 2023
Chairperson Proctor opened the hearing on HB 2312 and requested Revisor Heim to give an overview of the bill. (Attachment 3)
Revisor Heim completed the overview and answered questions.
Chairperson Proctor welcomed Representative Schlingensiepen to the Committee.
Tobias Schlingensiepen, 55th District, Kansas House of Representatives, gave proponent testimony. The Representative's testimony disclosed that this bill seeks to place the ultimate responsibility for these kinds of errors with the party committee, which is the entity that has the most to gain from seeking to rectify whatever led to the errors in the first place. (Attachment 4)
Representative Schlingensiepen answered questions from Committee members.
Chairperson Proctor thanked Representative Schlingensiepen for his testimony.
There were no other proponents or opponents.
Mark Skoglund, Executive Director, Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, gave neutral testimony. Mr. Skoglund indicated that HB 2312 would make party committees legally responsible for filing reports instead of volunteer party committee treasurers. Additionally, it would make party committees liable for campaign finance violations committed by the party committee instead of volunteer treasurers. Lastly, the bill would place an upper limit on all fines of volunteer party committee treasurers at $1,000 instead of the the usual $5,000. (Attachment 5)
Questions were directed to Mr. Skoglund.
There was no other oral or written neutral testimony.
Chairperson Proctor thanked Mr. Skoglund for his testimony and closed the hearing on HB 2312.
Chairperson Proctor announced that the Committee would not take emergency action on HB 2312 today.
Representative Neighbor asked Chairperson Proctor to request a blessing on this bill.
Chairperson Proctor thanked the Committee for their hard work and discussions this session and stated that after turnaround, the Committee would hear Senate Bills and would have a presentation from Legislative Post Audit.
The meeting adjourned at 4:44 p.m.
The next meeting of the House Elections Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 2, 2023.
