Bill Text: CT HB05556 | 2012 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Changes To Campaign Finance Laws And Other Election Laws.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-1)
Status: (Vetoed) 2012-06-15 - Vetoed by the Governor [HB05556 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2012-HB05556-Chaptered.html
AN ACT CONCERNING CHANGES TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS AND OTHER ELECTION LAWS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 9-601 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
As used in this chapter and chapter 157 and sections 10 and 11 of this act:
(1) "Committee" means a party committee, political committee or a candidate committee organized, as the case may be, for a single primary, election or referendum, or for ongoing political activities, to aid or promote the success or defeat of any political party, any one or more candidates for public office or the position of town committee member or any referendum question.
(2) "Party committee" means a state central committee or a town committee. "Party committee" does not mean a party-affiliated or district, ward or borough committee which receives all of its funds from the state central committee of its party or from a single town committee with the same party affiliation. Any such committee so funded shall be construed to be a part of its state central or town committee for purposes of this chapter and chapter 157.
(3) "Political committee" means (A) a committee organized by a business entity or organization, (B) persons other than individuals, or two or more individuals organized or acting jointly conducting their activities in or outside the state, (C) an exploratory committee, (D) a committee established by or on behalf of a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, but does not mean a candidate committee or a party committee, (E) a legislative caucus committee, or (F) a legislative leadership committee.
(4) "Candidate committee" means any committee designated by a single candidate, or established with the consent, authorization or cooperation of a candidate, for the purpose of a single primary or election and to aid or promote such candidate's candidacy alone for a particular public office or the position of town committee member, but does not mean a political committee or a party committee. For purposes of this chapter, "candidate committee" includes candidate committees for participating and nonparticipating candidates, unless the context of a provision clearly indicates otherwise.
(5) "Exploratory committee" means a committee established by a candidate for a single primary or election (A) to determine whether to seek nomination or election to (i) the General Assembly, (ii) a state office, as defined in subsection (e) of section 9-610, or (iii) any other public office, and (B) if applicable, to aid or promote such candidate's candidacy for nomination to the General Assembly or any such state office.
(6) "National committee" means the organization which according to the bylaws of a political party is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the party at the national level.
(7) "Organization" means all labor organizations, (A) as defined in the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as from time to time amended, or (B) as defined in subdivision (9) of section 31-101, employee organizations as defined in subsection (d) of section 5-270 and subdivision (6) of section 7-467, bargaining representative organizations for teachers, any local, state or national organization, to which a labor organization pays membership or per capita fees, based upon its affiliation or membership, and trade or professional associations which receive their funds exclusively from membership dues, whether organized in or outside of this state, but does not mean a candidate committee, party committee or a political committee.
(8) "Business entity" means the following, whether organized in or outside of this state: Stock corporations, banks, insurance companies, business associations, bankers associations, insurance associations, trade or professional associations which receive funds from membership dues and other sources, partnerships, joint ventures, private foundations, as defined in Section 509 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended; trusts or estates; corporations organized under sections 38a-175 to 38a-192, inclusive, 38a-199 to 38a-209, inclusive, and 38a-214 to 38a-225, inclusive, and chapters 594 to 597, inclusive; cooperatives, and any other association, organization or entity which is engaged in the operation of a business or profit-making activity; but does not include professional service corporations organized under chapter 594a and owned by a single individual, nonstock corporations which are not engaged in business or profit-making activity, organizations, as defined in subdivision (7) of this section, candidate committees, party committees and political committees as defined in this section. For purposes of this chapter, corporations which are component members of a controlled group of corporations, as those terms are defined in Section 1563 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, shall be deemed to be one corporation.
(9) "Individual" means a human being, a sole proprietorship, or a professional service corporation organized under chapter 594a and owned by a single human being.
(10) "Person" means an individual, committee, firm, partnership, organization, association, syndicate, company trust, corporation, limited liability company or any other legal entity of any kind but does not mean the state or any political or administrative subdivision of the state.
(11) "Candidate" means an individual who seeks nomination for election or election to public office whether or not such individual is elected, and for the purposes of this chapter and chapter 157, an individual shall be deemed to seek nomination for election or election if such individual has (A) been endorsed by a party or become eligible for a position on the ballot at an election or primary, or (B) solicited or received contributions, made expenditures or given such individual's consent to any other person to solicit or receive contributions or make expenditures with the intent to bring about such individual's nomination for election or election to any such office. "Candidate" also means a slate of candidates which is to appear on the ballot in a primary for the office of justice of the peace. For the purposes of sections 9-600 to 9-610, inclusive, as amended by this act, and section 9-621, as amended by this act, "candidate" also means an individual who is a candidate in a primary for town committee members.
(12) ["Campaign treasurer"] "Treasurer" means the individual appointed by a candidate or by the chairperson of a party committee or a political committee to receive and disburse funds on behalf of the candidate or committee.
(13) "Deputy [campaign] treasurer" means the individual appointed by the candidate or by the chairperson of a committee to serve in the capacity of the [campaign] treasurer if the [campaign] treasurer is unable to perform the [campaign] treasurer's duties.
(14) "Solicitor" means an individual appointed by a [campaign] treasurer of a committee to receive, but not to disburse, funds on behalf of the committee.
(15) "Referendum question" means a question to be voted upon at any election or referendum, including a proposed constitutional amendment.
(16) "Lobbyist" means a lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91, and "communicator lobbyist" means a communicator lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91, and "client lobbyist" means a client lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91.
(17) "Business with which he is associated" means any business in which the contributor is a director, officer, owner, limited or general partner or holder of stock constituting five per cent or more of the total outstanding stock of any class. Officer refers only to the president, executive or senior vice-president or treasurer of such business.
(18) "Agent" means a person authorized to act for or in place of another.
(19) "Entity" means the following, whether organized in this or any other state: An organization, corporation, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, cooperative association, limited partnership, professional association, limited liability company [,] and limited liability partnership. "Entity" includes any tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, and any incorporated tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code.
(20) "Federal account" means a depository account that is subject to the disclosure and contribution limits provided under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended from time to time.
(21) "Public funds" means funds belonging to, or under the control of, the state or a political subdivision of the state.
(22) "Legislative caucus committee" means a committee established under subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 9-605 by the majority of the members of a political party who are also state representatives or state senators.
(23) "Legislative leadership committee" means a committee established under subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of section 9-605 by a leader of the General Assembly.
(24) "Immediate family" means the spouse or a dependent child of an individual.
(25) "Organization expenditure" means an expenditure by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee for the benefit of a candidate or candidate committee for:
(A) The preparation, display or mailing or other distribution of a party candidate listing. As used in this subparagraph, "party candidate listing" means any communication that meets the following criteria: (i) The communication lists the name or names of candidates for election to public office, (ii) the communication is distributed through public advertising such as broadcast stations, cable television, newspapers or similar media, or through direct mail, telephone, electronic mail, publicly accessible sites on the Internet or personal delivery, [(iii) the treatment of all candidates in the communication is substantially similar, and (iv)] and (iii) the content of the communication is limited to (I) for each such candidate, identifying information, including photographs, the office sought, the office currently held by the candidate, if any, the party enrollment of the candidate, a brief statement concerning the candidate's positions, philosophy, goals, accomplishments or biography and the positions, philosophy, goals or accomplishments of the candidate's party, (II) information concerning how each such candidate contrasts with such candidate's opponent, if any, (III) encouragement to vote for each such candidate, [and (III)] or (IV) information concerning voting, including voting hours and locations;
(B) A document in printed or electronic form, including a party platform, a copy of an issue paper, information pertaining to the requirements of this title, a list of registered voters and voter identification information, which document is created or maintained by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee for the general purposes of party or caucus building and is provided (i) to a candidate who is a member of the party that has established such party committee, or (ii) to a candidate who is a member of the party of the caucus or leader who has established such legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, whichever is applicable;
(C) A campaign event at which a candidate or candidates are present; or
(D) The retention of the services of an advisor to provide assistance relating to campaign organization, financing, accounting, strategy, law or media. [; or]
[(E) The use of offices, telephones, computers and similar equipment which does not result in additional cost to the party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee. ]
(26) "Solicit" means (A) requesting that a contribution be made, (B) participating in any fund-raising activities for a candidate committee, exploratory committee, political committee or party committee, including, but not limited to, forwarding tickets to potential contributors, receiving contributions for transmission to any such committee or bundling contributions, (C) serving as chairperson, treasurer or deputy treasurer of any such committee, or (D) establishing a political committee for the sole purpose of soliciting or receiving contributions for any committee. "Solicit" does not include (i) making a contribution that is otherwise permitted under this chapter, (ii) informing any person of a position taken by a candidate for public office or a public official, (iii) notifying the person of any activities of, or contact information for, any candidate for public office, or (iv) serving as a member in any party committee or as an officer of such committee that is not otherwise prohibited in this subdivision.
(27) "Bundle" means the forwarding of five or more contributions to a single committee by a communicator lobbyist, an agent of such lobbyist, or a member of the immediate family of such lobbyist, or raising contributions for a committee at a fund-raising affair held by, sponsored by, or hosted by a communicator lobbyist or an agent of such lobbyist, or a member of the immediate family of such lobbyist.
(28) "Slate committee" means a political committee formed by two or more candidates for nomination or election to any municipal office in the same town, city or borough, or in a primary for the office of justice of the peace or the position of town committee member, whenever such political committee will serve as the sole funding vehicle for the candidates' campaigns.
(29) "Campaign-related disbursement" means (A) an independent expenditure, as defined in section 9-601c, as amended by this act, or (B) a covered transfer.
(30) "Covered transfer" means any transfer or payment of funds in an aggregate amount of one thousand dollars or more in the two years that follow the initial transfer or payment by an entity covered by the disclosure provisions under this chapter to a recipient who uses such funds to make a campaign-related disbursement or disbursements.
(31) "Party building activities" includes, but is not limited to, political meetings, conferences, events and conventions, and any associated expenses.
(32) "Social media" means an electronic medium where users may create and view user-generated content, such as uploaded or downloaded videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts or instant messages.
Sec. 2. Section 9-601a of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, "contribution" means:
(1) Any gift, subscription, loan, advance, payment or deposit of money or anything of value, made for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election, or election, of any person or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or [on behalf] the success or defeat of any political party;
(2) A written contract, promise or agreement to make a contribution for any such purpose;
(3) The payment by any person, other than a candidate or [campaign] treasurer, of compensation for the personal services of any other person which are rendered without charge to a committee or candidate for any such purpose;
(4) An expenditure that is not an independent expenditure; or
(5) Funds received by a committee which are transferred from another committee or other source for any such purpose.
(b) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, "contribution" does not mean:
(1) A loan of money made in the ordinary course of business by a national or state bank;
(2) Any communication made by a corporation, organization or association to its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(3) Nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns by any corporation, organization or association aimed at its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(4) Uncompensated services provided by individuals volunteering their time on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate committee or candidate committee, including any services provided for the benefit of nonparticipating and participating candidates under the Citizens' Election Program and any unreimbursed travel expenses made by an individual who volunteers the individual's personal services to any such committee. For purposes of this subdivision, an individual is a volunteer if such individual is not receiving compensation for such services regardless of whether such individual received compensation in the past or may receive compensation in the future for such services;
(5) The use of real or personal property, and the cost of invitations, food or beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual to a candidate, including a nonparticipating or participating candidate under the Citizens' Election Program, party, political or slate committee, in rendering voluntary personal services at the individual's residential premises or a community room in the individual's residence facility, to the extent that the cumulative value of the invitations, food or beverages provided [for any single event] by an individual on behalf of any candidate or committee does not exceed four hundred dollars with respect to any [calendar year or primary or general election, as the case may be, and] single event or does not exceed eight hundred dollars for any such event hosted by two or more individuals, provided at least one such individual owns or resides at the residential premises, and further provided the cumulative value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by an individual on behalf of any such candidate or committee does not exceed eight hundred dollars [in any] with respect to a calendar year or single election, as the case may be;
(6) The sale of food or beverage for use by a party, political, slate or candidate committee, including those for a participating or nonparticipating candidate, at a discount, if the charge is not less than the cost to the vendor, to the extent that the cumulative value of the discount given to or on behalf of any single candidate committee does not exceed four hundred dollars with respect to any single primary or election, or to or on behalf of any party, political or slate committee, does not exceed six hundred dollars in a calendar year;
(7) The display of a lawn sign by a human being or on real property;
(8) The payment, by a party committee or slate committee of the costs of preparation, display, mailing or other distribution incurred by the committee or individual with respect to any printed slate card, sample ballot or other printed list containing the names of three or more candidates;
(9) The donation of any item of personal property by an individual to a committee for a fund-raising affair, including a tag sale or auction, or the purchase by an individual of any such item at such an affair, to the extent that the cumulative value donated or purchased does not exceed one hundred dollars;
(10) (A) The purchase of advertising space which clearly identifies the purchaser, in a program for a fund-raising affair sponsored by the candidate committee of a candidate for an office of a municipality, provided the cumulative purchase of such space does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars from any single such candidate or the candidate's committee with respect to any single election campaign if the purchaser is a business entity or fifty dollars for purchases by any other person;
(B) The purchase of advertising space which clearly identifies the purchaser, in a program for a fund-raising affair or on signs at a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee, provided the cumulative purchase of such space does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars from any single town committee in any calendar year if the purchaser is a business entity or fifty dollars for purchases by any other person. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subparagraph, the following may not purchase advertising space in a program for a fund-raising affair or on signs at a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee: (i) A communicator lobbyist, (ii) a member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist, (iii) a state contractor, (iv) a prospective state contractor, or (v) a principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor. As used in this subparagraph, "state contractor", "prospective state contractor" and "principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor" have the same meanings as provided in subsection (g) of section 9-612;
(11) The payment of money by a candidate to the candidate's candidate committee, provided the committee is for a nonparticipating candidate;
(12) The donation of goods or services by a business entity to a committee for a fund-raising affair, including a tag sale or auction, to the extent that the cumulative value donated does not exceed two hundred dollars;
(13) The advance of a security deposit by an individual to a telephone company, as defined in section 16-1, for telecommunications service for a committee or to another utility company, such as an electric company, provided the security deposit is refunded to the individual;
(14) The provision of facilities, equipment, technical and managerial support, and broadcast time by a community antenna television company, as defined in section 16-1, for community access programming pursuant to section 16-331a, unless (A) the major purpose of providing such facilities, equipment, support and time is to influence the nomination or election of a candidate, or (B) such facilities, equipment, support and time are provided on behalf of a political party;
(15) The sale of food or beverage by a town committee to an individual at a town fair, county fair, local festival or similar mass gathering held within the state, to the extent that the cumulative payment made by any one individual for such items does not exceed fifty dollars;
(16) An organization expenditure by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee;
(17) The donation of food or beverage by an individual for consumption at a slate, candidate, political committee or party committee meeting, event or activity that is not a fund-raising affair to the extent that the cumulative value of the food or beverages donated by an individual for a single meeting or event does not exceed fifty dollars; [or]
(18) The value associated with the de minimis activity on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate committee or candidate committee, including for activities including, but not limited to, (A) the creation of electronic or written communications created on a voluntary basis without compensation, including, but not limited to, the creation and ongoing content development and delivery of social media on the Internet or telephone, including, but not limited to, the sending or receiving of electronic mail or messages, (B) the posting or display of a candidate's name or group of candidates' names at a town fair, county fair, local festival or similar mass gathering by a party committee, or (C) the use of personal property or a service that is customarily attendant to the occupancy of a residential dwelling, or the donation of an item or items of personal property that are customarily used for campaign purposes, by an individual, to a candidate committee, provided the cumulative fair market value of such use of personal property or service or items of personal property does not exceed one hundred dollars in the aggregate for any single election or calendar year, as the case may be; [. For purposes of this subdivision, "social media" means an electronic medium where users may create and view user-generated content, such as uploaded or downloaded videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts or instant messages] or
(19) The use of offices, telephones, computers and similar equipment provided by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee that serve as headquarters for or are used by such party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee.
Sec. 3. Section 9-601b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, the term "expenditure" means:
(1) Any purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value, when made for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election, or election, of any person or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or [on behalf] the success or defeat of any political party;
(2) Any [advertisement] communication that (A) refers to one or more clearly identified candidates, (B) is broadcast by radio, [or] television, [other than on a public access channel] satellite communication or via the Internet, or as a paid-for telephone communication, or appears in a newspaper, magazine or on a billboard, or is sent by mail, and (C) is broadcast or appears during the ninety-day period preceding the date of a primary or an election, other than a commercial advertisement that refers to an owner, director or officer of a business entity who is also a candidate and that had previously been broadcast or appeared when the owner, director or officer was not a candidate, but such communication shall not include speech or expression made prior to the ninety-day period preceding the date of a primary or an election at which such clearly identified candidate or candidates are seeking nomination or election to public office or position, that is made for the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action, as defined in section 1-91, by state government or a political subdivision of state government; or
(3) The transfer of funds by a committee to another committee.
(b) The term "expenditure" does not mean:
(1) A loan of money, made in the ordinary course of business, by a state or national bank;
(2) A communication made by any corporation, organization or association solely to its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(3) Nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns by any corporation, organization or association aimed at its members, owners, stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, or their families;
(4) Uncompensated services provided by individuals volunteering their time on behalf of a party committee, political committee, slate committee or candidate committee, including any services provided for the benefit of nonparticipating and participating candidates under the Citizens' Election Program and any unreimbursed travel expenses made by an individual who volunteers the individual's personal services to any such committee. For purposes of this subdivision, an individual is a volunteer if such individual is not receiving compensation for such services regardless of whether such individual received compensation in the past or may receive compensation in the future for such services;
(5) Any news story, commentary or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine or other periodical, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, committee or candidate;
(6) The use of real or personal property, and the cost of invitations, food or beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual to a candidate, [or on behalf of a state central or town] including a nonparticipating or participating candidate under the Citizens' Election Program, party, political or slate committee, in rendering voluntary personal services [for candidate or party-related activities] at the individual's [residence] residential premises or a community room in the individual's residence facility, to the extent that the cumulative value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by [the] an individual on behalf of any [single candidate for nomination or election] candidate or committee does not exceed [two] four hundred dollars with respect to any single [election, and on behalf of all state central and town committees does not exceed four] event or does not exceed eight hundred dollars for any such event hosted by two or more individuals, provided at least one such individual owns or resides at the residential premises, and further provided the cumulative value of the invitations, food or beverages provided by an individual on behalf of any such candidate or committee does not exceed eight hundred dollars [in] with respect to a calendar year [; ] or single election, as the case may be; or
[(7) Any unreimbursed payment for travel expenses made by an individual who, on his own behalf, volunteers his personal services to any single candidate to the extent that the cumulative value does not exceed two hundred dollars with respect to any single election, and on behalf of all state or town committees does not exceed four hundred dollars in a calendar year; or]
[(8)] (7) An organization expenditure by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee.
(c) "Expense incurred but not paid" means any receipt of goods or services for which payment is required but not made or a written contract, promise or agreement to make an expenditure.
Sec. 4. Section 9-601c of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) As used in this chapter and chapter 157, the term "independent expenditure" means an expenditure, as defined in section 9-601b, as amended by this act, that is made without the consent, coordination, or consultation of, a candidate or agent of the candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, but shall not include an expenditure or expenditures by a human being acting alone in an amount that is two hundred fifty dollars or less, in the aggregate, that benefits a candidate for a single election.
(b) When the State Elections Enforcement Commission evaluates an expenditure to determine whether such expenditure is an independent expenditure, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the following expenditures are not independent expenditures:
(1) An expenditure made by a person in cooperation, consultation or in concert with, at the request, suggestion or direction of, or pursuant to a general or particular understanding with (A) a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or (B) a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee;
(2) An expenditure made by a person for the production, dissemination, distribution or publication, in whole or in substantial part, of any broadcast or any written, graphic or other form of political advertising or campaign communication prepared by (A) a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or (B) a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee;
(3) An expenditure made by a person based on information about a candidate's, political committee's, or party committee's plans, projects or needs, provided by (A) a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or (B) a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, with the intent that such expenditure be made;
(4) An expenditure made by an individual who, in the same election cycle, is serving or has served as the campaign chairperson, [campaign] treasurer or deputy treasurer of a candidate committee, political committee or party committee benefiting from such expenditure, or in any other executive or policymaking position, including as a member, employee, fundraiser, consultant or other agent, of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee;
(5) An expenditure made by a person whose officer, director, member, employee, fundraiser, consultant or other agent who serves the person in an executive or policymaking position also serves as or has served in the same election cycle as the candidate or the campaign chairperson, [campaign] treasurer or deputy treasurer of a candidate committee, political committee or party committee benefiting from such expenditure, or in any other executive or policymaking position of the candidate committee, political committee or party committee;
(6) An expenditure made by a person for fundraising activities (A) with or for a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or (B) for the solicitation or receipt of contributions on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, or a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of a candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee;
(7) An expenditure made by a person based on information about a candidate's campaign plans, projects or needs, that is directly or indirectly provided by a candidate, the candidate's candidate committee, a political committee or a party committee, or a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of such candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee, to the person making the expenditure or such person's agent, with an express or tacit understanding that such person is considering making the expenditure;
(8) An expenditure made by a person for a communication that clearly identifies a candidate during an election campaign, if the person making the expenditure, or such person's agent, has informed the candidate who benefits from the expenditure, that candidate's candidate committee, a political committee or a party committee, or a consultant or other agent acting on behalf of the benefiting candidate or candidate committee, political committee, or party committee, concerning the communication's contents, or of the intended audience, timing, location or mode or frequency of dissemination. As used in this subdivision, a communication clearly identifies a candidate when that communication contains the name, nickname, initials, photograph or drawing of the candidate or an unambiguous reference to that candidate, which includes, but is not limited to, a reference that can only mean that candidate; [and]
(9) An expenditure made by a person or an entity for consultant or creative services, including, but not limited to, services related to communications strategy or design or campaign strategy, to be used to promote or oppose a candidate's election to office if the provider of such services is also providing consultant or creative services to such candidate, such candidate's candidate committee, or to any opposing candidate in the same primary or election, or to such opposing candidate's candidate committee. For purposes of this subdivision, communications strategy or design does not include the costs of printing or costs for the use of a medium for the purpose of communications;
(10) An expenditure made by a person or an entity on or after January first in the year of an election in which a candidate is seeking office that benefits such candidate when such person or entity has hired an individual as an employee or consultant and such individual was an employee of or consultant to such candidate during any part of the eighteen-month period preceding such expenditure; and
(11) An expenditure made by a person or an entity on or after January first in the year of an election in which a candidate is seeking office that benefits such candidate when such person or entity making the expenditure has hired a campaign-related vendor that has been hired by such candidate during the same election cycle. For purposes of this subdivision, campaign-related vendors includes, but is not limited to, vendors that provide the following services: Polling, mail design, mail strategy, political strategy, general campaign advice or telephone banking.
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 9-606 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) The [campaign] treasurer of each committee shall be responsible for (1) depositing, receiving and reporting all contributions and other funds in the manner specified in section 9-608, as amended by this act, (2) making and reporting expenditures, (3) reporting expenses incurred but not yet paid, (4) filing the statements required under section 9-608, as amended by this act, and (5) keeping internal records of each entry made on such statements. The [campaign] treasurer of each committee shall deposit contributions in the committee's designated depository [within fourteen] not later than twenty days after receiving them. The [campaign] treasurer of each political committee or party committee which makes a contribution of goods to another committee shall send written notice to the [campaign] treasurer of the recipient committee before the close of the reporting period during which the contribution was made. The notice shall be signed by the [campaign] treasurer of the committee making the contribution and shall include the full name of such committee, the date on which the contribution was made, a complete description of the contribution and the value of the contribution. Any dispute concerning the information contained in such notice shall be resolved by the [campaign] treasurer of the recipient committee. Such resolution shall not impair in any way the authority of the State Elections Enforcement Commission under section 9-7b. The [campaign] treasurer of the recipient committee shall preserve each such notice received for the period prescribed by subsection (f) of section 9-607.
Sec. 6. Subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of section 9-607 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(g) (1) As used in this subsection, (A) "the lawful purposes of his committee" means: (i) For a candidate committee or exploratory committee, the promoting of the nomination or election of the candidate who established the committee, except that after a political party nominates candidates for election to the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, whose names shall be so placed on the ballot in the election that an elector will cast a single vote for both candidates, as prescribed in section 9-181, a candidate committee established by either such candidate may also promote the election of the other such candidate; (ii) for a political committee, the promoting of a political party, including party-building activities, the success or defeat of candidates for nomination and election to public office or position subject to the requirements of this chapter, or the success or defeat of referendum questions, provided a political committee formed for a single referendum question shall not promote the success or defeat of any candidate, and provided further a legislative leadership committee or a legislative caucus committee may expend funds to defray costs of its members for conducting legislative or constituency-related business which are not reimbursed or paid by the state; and (iii) for a party committee, the promoting of the party, the candidates of the party and continuing operating costs of the party, and (B) "immediate family" means a spouse or dependent child of a candidate who resides in the candidate's household.
Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 9-612 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions in any one calendar year in excess of [five] ten thousand dollars to the state central committee of any party, or for the benefit of such committee pursuant to its authorization or request; or [one] two thousand dollars to a town committee of any political party, or for the benefit of such committee pursuant to its authorization or request; or [one] two thousand dollars to a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, or [seven hundred fifty] one thousand dollars to any other political committee other than (1) a political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, (2) an exploratory committee, (3) a political committee established by an organization, or for the benefit of such committee pursuant to its authorization or request, or (4) a political committee formed by a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace of the same town.
Sec. 8. Subsection (e) of section 9-612 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(e) (1) Any (A) individual, [entity or] (B) committee, or (C) entity that is otherwise legally permitted to make independent expenditures, acting alone, may make unlimited independent expenditures. Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, any such individual, entity or committee that makes or obligates to make an independent expenditure or expenditures in excess of one thousand dollars, in the aggregate, shall file statements according to the same schedule and in the same manner as is required of a [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee under section 9-608, as amended by this act.
(2) Any individual, entity or committee that makes or obligates to make an independent expenditure or expenditures to promote the success or defeat of a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller, Attorney General, state senator or state representative, which [exceeds] exceed one thousand dollars, in the aggregate, during a primary campaign or a general election campaign, as defined in section 9-700, on or after January 1, 2008, shall file a report of such independent expenditure to the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The report shall be in the same form as statements filed under section 9-608, as amended by this act, except that such report shall be filed electronically. If the individual, entity or committee makes or obligates to make such independent expenditure or expenditures more than ninety days before the day of a primary or election, the individual, entity or committee shall file such report not later than [forty-eight] twenty-four hours after such payment or obligation. If the individual, entity or committee makes or obligates to make such independent expenditure or expenditures ninety days or less before the day of a primary or election, the person shall file such report not later than [twenty-four] twelve hours after such payment or obligation. The report shall be filed under penalty of false statement.
(3) The independent expenditure report shall (A) identify the candidate for whom the independent expenditure or expenditures is intended to promote the success or defeat, (B) affirm under penalty of false statement that the expenditure is an independent expenditure, and (C) provide any information that the State Elections Enforcement Commission requires to facilitate compliance with the provisions of this chapter or chapter 157.
(4) Any person may file a complaint with the commission upon the belief that (A) any such independent expenditure report or statement is false, or (B) any individual, entity or committee that is required to file an independent expenditure report under this subsection has failed to do so. The commission shall make a prompt determination on such a complaint.
(5) (A) If an individual, entity or committee fails to file a report required under subdivision (2) of this subsection for an independent expenditure or expenditures made or obligated to be made more than ninety days before the day of a primary or election, the person shall be subject to a civil penalty, imposed by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, of not more than five thousand dollars. If an individual, entity or committee fails to file a report required under subdivision (2) of this subsection for an independent expenditure or expenditures made or obligated to be made ninety days or less before the day of a primary or election, such individual, entity or committee shall be subject to a civil penalty, imposed by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, of not more than ten thousand dollars. (B) If any such failure is knowing and wilful, the person responsible for the failure shall also be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(6) (A) As part of any statement filed pursuant to this subsection, if an entity that engages in an independent expenditure makes such campaign-related disbursement out of a segregated bank account consisting only of funds donated directly to the account and not transferred to the account by the entity, the entity shall disclose those donors who gave an aggregate of one thousand dollars or more to the account on or after January first of the year during which there will be an election for the office that the candidate who was the subject of such expenditure is seeking, the amount of each donation and the aggregate amount given by each donor, except as provided for in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision.
(B) As part of any statement filed pursuant to this subsection by an entity, if any such entity (i) is able to accept donations into its general treasury, (ii) engages in an independent expenditure on or after January first of the year during which there will be an election for the office that a candidate who was the subject of such expenditure is seeking, and (iii) makes such campaign-related disbursement out of its general treasury, then such entity shall disclose the source and the amount of all donations to the general treasury, including dues payments, if any, of one thousand dollars or more, in the aggregate amount given by each donor, except as provided for in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, and excluding any funds received in a commercial transaction or in the form of an investment.
(C) If a donor restricts his or her donation to a not-for-profit entity from being used for a campaign-related disbursement, and the entity consents to the restriction and segregates the money into any account not used to make a campaign-related disbursement, the identity of the donor does not have to be disclosed.
Sec. 9. Section 9-621 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) No individual shall make or incur any expenditure with the consent of, in coordination with or in consultation with any candidate, candidate committee or candidate's agent, no group of two or more individuals acting together that receives funds or makes or incurs expenditures not exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate and has not formed a political committee shall make or incur any expenditure, and no candidate or committee shall make or incur any expenditure including an organization expenditure for a party candidate listing, as defined in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (25) of section 9-601, as amended by this act, for any written, typed or other printed communication, or any web-based, written communication, which promotes the success or defeat of any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election or promotes or opposes any political party or solicits funds to benefit any political party or committee unless such communication bears upon its face as a disclaimer (1) the words "paid for by" and the following: (A) In the case of such an individual, the name and address of such individual; (B) in the case of a committee other than a party committee, the name of the committee and its [campaign] treasurer; (C) in the case of a party committee, the name of the committee; or (D) in the case of a group of two or more individuals that receives funds or makes or incurs expenditures not exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate and has not formed a political committee, the name of the group and the name and address of its agent, and (2) the words "approved by" and the following: (A) In the case of an individual, group or committee other than a candidate committee making or incurring an expenditure with the consent of, in coordination with or in consultation with any candidate, candidate committee or candidate's agent, the name of the candidate; or (B) in the case of a candidate committee, the name of the candidate.
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section:
(1) No candidate or candidate committee or exploratory committee established by a candidate shall make or incur any expenditure for television advertising or Internet video advertising, which promotes the success of such candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election or the defeat of another candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election, unless, as a disclaimer, (A) at the end of such advertising there appears simultaneously, for a period of not less than four seconds, (i) a clearly identifiable photographic or similar image of the candidate making such expenditure, (ii) a clearly readable printed statement identifying such candidate, and indicating that such candidate has approved the advertising, and (iii) a simultaneous, personal audio message, in the following form: "I am . . . . (candidate's name) and I approved this message", and (B) the candidate's name and image appear in, and the candidate's voice is contained in, the narrative of the advertising, before the end of such advertising;
(2) No candidate or candidate committee or exploratory committee established by a candidate shall make or incur any expenditure for radio advertising or Internet audio advertising, which promotes the success of such candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election or the defeat of another candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election, unless, as a disclaimer, (A) the advertising ends with a personal audio statement by the candidate making such expenditure (i) identifying such candidate and the office such candidate is seeking, and (ii) indicating that such candidate has approved the advertising in the following form: "I am . . . . (candidate's name) and I approved this message", and (B) the candidate's name and voice are contained in the narrative of the advertising, before the end of such advertising; and
(3) No candidate or candidate committee or exploratory committee established by a candidate shall make or incur any expenditure for automated telephone calls which promote the success of such candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election or the defeat of another candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election, unless the candidate's name and voice are contained in the narrative of the call, before the end of such call.
(c) No business entity, organization, association, committee, or group of two or more individuals who have joined solely to promote the success or defeat of a referendum question shall make or incur any expenditure for any written, typed or other printed communication which promotes the success or defeat of any referendum question unless such communication bears upon its face, as a disclaimer, the words "paid for by" and the following: (1) In the case of a business entity, organization or association, the name of the business entity, organization or association and the name of its chief executive officer or equivalent and a list of at least five of the donors whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, and an address to an Internet web site that lists all donors subject to disclosure under said section 9-612 and such donors' addresses; (2) in the case of a political committee, the name of the committee and the name of its [campaign] treasurer; (3) in the case of a party committee, the name of the committee; or (4) in the case of such a group of two or more individuals, the name of the group and the name and address of its agent.
(d) The provisions of subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section do not apply to (1) any editorial, news story, or commentary published in any newspaper, magazine or journal on its own behalf and upon its own responsibility and for which it does not charge or receive any compensation whatsoever, (2) any banner, (3) political paraphernalia including pins, buttons, badges, emblems, hats, bumper stickers or other similar materials, or (4) signs with a surface area of not more than thirty-two square feet.
(e) The [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee which sponsors any written, typed or other printed communication for the purpose of raising funds to eliminate a campaign deficit of that committee shall include in such communication a statement that the funds are sought to eliminate such a deficit.
(f) The [campaign] treasurer of an exploratory committee or candidate committee established by a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Treasurer which committee sponsors any written, typed or other printed communication for the purpose of raising funds shall include in such communication a statement concerning the prohibitions set forth in subsection (n) of section 1-84, subsection (f) of section 9-612 and subsection (f) of section 9-613.
(g) In the event a [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee is replaced pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-602, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the candidate committee from distributing any printed communication subject to the provisions of this section that has already been printed or otherwise produced, even though such communication does not accurately designate the successor [campaign] treasurer of such candidate committee.
(h) (1) No individual or entity shall make or incur an independent expenditure for any written, typed or other printed communication, including on a billboard, or any web-based, written communication, [that promotes the success or defeat of any candidate for nomination or election or promotes or opposes any political party or solicits funds to benefit any political party or committee,] unless such communication bears upon its face, as a disclaimer, the words "Paid for by" and, in the case of an individual, the name and address of such individual, or, in the case of an entity, the name of the entity, the name of its chief executive officer or equivalent, and its principal business address. [and] The communication shall also bear upon its face the words "This message was made independent of any candidate or political party. ". In the case of an entity making or incurring such an independent expenditure, [which entity is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an incorporated tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such communication shall also bear upon its face the words "Top Five Contributors" followed by a list of the five persons or entities making the largest contributions to such organization during the twelve-month period before the date of such communication] such communication shall also bear upon its face at least five of the donors to the entity making such communication whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, and an address to an Internet web site that lists all donors subject to disclosure under said section 9-612 and such donors' addresses.
(2) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, no individual or entity shall make or incur an independent expenditure for [television advertising or Internet video advertising, that promotes the success or defeat of any candidate for nomination or election or promotes or opposes any political party or solicits funds to benefit any political party or committee] a video broadcast by television, satellite or Internet, unless at the end of such advertising there appears simultaneously, for a period of not less than four seconds as a disclaimer, (A) a clearly identifiable video, photographic or similar image of the individual or the entity's chief executive officer or equivalent, and (B) a personal audio message, in the following form: "I am . . . . (name of the individual or entity's chief executive officer or equivalent), . . . . (title) of . . . . (entity). This message was made independent of any candidate or political party, and I approved its content. ". In the case of an entity making or incurring such an independent expenditure, [which entity is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an incorporated tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such advertising shall also include a written message in the following form: "The top five contributors to the organization responsible for this advertisement are" followed by a list of the five persons or entities making the largest contributions during the twelve-month period before the date of such advertisement] such communication shall also include a written message listing at least five of the donors to the entity whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, and an address to an Internet web site that lists all donors subject to disclosure under said section 9-612 and such donors' addresses.
(3) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, no individual or entity shall make or incur an independent expenditure for [radio advertising or Internet audio advertising, that promotes the election or defeat of any candidate for nomination or election or promotes or opposes any political party or solicits funds to benefit any political party or committee] an audio communication broadcast by radio, satellite or Internet, unless the advertising ends with a disclaimer that is a personal audio statement by the individual or entity's chief executive officer or equivalent (A) identifying the individual or entity paying for the expenditure, and (B) indicating that the message was made independent of any candidate or political party, using the following form: "I am . . . . (name of individual or entity's chief executive officer or equivalent), . . . . (title), of . . . . (entity). This message was made independent of any candidate or political party, and I approved its content. ". In the case of an entity making or incurring such an independent expenditure, [which entity is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an incorporated tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such advertising shall also include (i) an audio message in the following form: "The top five contributors to the organization responsible for this advertisement are" followed by a list of the five persons or entities making the largest contributions during the twelve-month period before the date of such advertisement, or (ii) in the case of such an advertisement that is thirty seconds in duration or shorter, an audio message providing a web site address that lists such five persons or entities. In such case, the organization shall establish and maintain such a web site with such listing for the entire period during which such organization makes such advertisement] such communication shall end with a list of at least five of the donors to the entity making such communication whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, and an address to an Internet web site that lists all donors subject to disclosure under said section 9-612 and such donors' addresses.
(4) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, no individual or entity shall make or incur an independent expenditure for [automated] telephone calls, [that promote the election or defeat of any candidate for nomination or election or promotes or opposes any political party or solicits funds to benefit any political party or committee,] including those which are automated, unless the narrative of the telephone call identifies the individual or entity making the expenditure and its chief executive officer or equivalent [. In the case of an entity making or incurring such an independent expenditure, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an incorporated tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such narrative shall also include an audio message in the following form: "The top five contributors to the organization responsible for this telephone call are" followed by a list of the five persons or entities making the largest contributions during the twelve-month period before the date of such telephone call] and such narrative ends with a list of at least five of the donors to the entity making such telephone call whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, and an address to an Internet web site that lists all donors subject to disclosure under said section 9-612 and such donors' addresses.
(i) In any print, television or social media promotion of a slate of candidates by a party committee, the party committee shall use appropriate disclaimers pursuant to the provisions of this section for such promotion, and no individual candidate disclaimers shall be required.
(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any entity that is required under the provisions of this section to list or identify donors in any disclaimer made in the case of an independent expenditure shall list such donors as individuals. In any case where a donor is another entity that made a covered transfer to such entity, then the individual donors to the entity making the covered transfer shall also be listed in any required Internet web site listing, and, if any such individual donor is a donor to the entity making the independent expenditure whose donations, in the aggregate, are in the top five largest amounts to the entity during the two years preceding the expenditure and whose donations are not excluded from disclosure under subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of section 9-612, as amended by this act, then at least five of such individual donors shall be listed pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(k) Any disclaimer required to be on the face of a written, typed or other printed communication pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be printed in no smaller than eight-point type of uniform font when such disclaimer is on a communication contained in a flyer or leaflet, newspaper, magazine or similar literature, or that is delivered by mail.
(l) Any requirement to list donors as part of a disclaimer or on an Internet web site pursuant to the provisions of this section shall only apply to donors whose donations, in the aggregate, are in an amount of one thousand dollars or greater to the entity.
Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the board of governance, if any, for any entity incorporated, organized or operating in this state, shall vote for prior authorization for each payment or distribution of money in an amount more than four thousand dollars to be used as a campaign-related disbursement. The board shall be informed of the specific use of the money, including any candidate that might be the target or beneficiary of an independent expenditure, as defined in section 9-601c of the general statutes, as amended by this act, from such campaign-related disbursement prior to any such vote. Individual board member votes and the details of such expenditures shall be disclosed to the public on the entity's Internet web site not later than forty-eight hours after the vote and filed electronically with the State Elections Enforcement Commission under the provisions of section 9-612 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
(b) Any such entity required to file a statement under section 9-612 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, after making or obligating to make an independent expenditure shall do at least one of the following: (1) If the entity submits regular, periodic reports to its shareholders, members or donors, on the entity's finances or activities, include in each such report (A) the identity of the individual making any campaign-related disbursement and the business address of such individual, (B) the amount and date of each such disbursement and the identity of the individual to whom such disbursement was made, (C) the candidate or candidates or ballot issue to which such disbursements are related, and (D) the identity of any individual who made a donation in excess of one thousand dollars to the entity, for any campaign-related disbursements made by the entity during the period such report covers, or (2) provide on the entity's Internet web site a link to the entity's filed disclosure reports under said section 9-612.
Sec. 11. (NEW) (Effective from passage) If the State Elections Enforcement Commission finds that an expenditure, as defined in section 9-601b of the general statutes, as amended by this act, is coordinated with a candidate committee or candidate or an agent of the candidate, in a manner not permissible under the provisions of chapter 155 of the general statutes, then the candidate, agent of the candidate, if applicable, and treasurer of said committee shall be jointly and severally liable for paying any penalty levied by the commission under section 9-7b of the general statutes. If such candidate is a participating candidate, the candidate shall return grant money awarded under chapter 157 of the general statutes to the Citizens' Election Fund, established in section 9-701 of the general statutes, in an amount determined by the commission.
Sec. 12. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) (1) Wherever the term "campaign treasurer" is used in the following sections of the general statutes, the term "treasurer" shall be substituted in lieu thereof; and (2) wherever the term "deputy campaign treasurer" is used in the following sections of the general statutes, the term "deputy treasurer" shall be substituted in lieu thereof: 9-7b, 9-602, 9-604, 9-605, 9-606, 9-607, 9-608, 9-609, 9-610, 9-612, 9-614, 9-622, 9-623, 9-624, 9-675, 9-700, 9-703, 9-704, 9-706, 9-707, 9-709, 9-711 and 9-712, as amended by this act.
(b) The Legislative Commissioners' Office shall, in codifying the provisions of this section, make such technical, grammatical and punctuation changes as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
Sec. 13. Subsection (c) of section 9-605 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(c) The [chairman] treasurer of each political committee shall report any addition to or change in information previously submitted in a statement of organization to the proper authority not later than ten days after the addition or change, provided if an officer of the committee has changed, such amended statement shall be filed by the chairperson of the committee.
Sec. 14. Subsection (a) of section 9-608 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) (1) Each treasurer of a committee, other than a state central committee, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement with the proper authority in accordance with the provisions of section 9-603, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of January, April, July and October, provided, if such tenth calendar day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on the next business day, except that in the case of a candidate or exploratory committee established for an office to be elected at a special election, statements pursuant to this subparagraph shall not be required, (B) on the seventh day preceding each regular state election, except that (i) in the case of a candidate or exploratory committee established for an office to be elected at a municipal election, the statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding a regular municipal election in lieu of such date, except if the candidate's name is not eligible to appear on the ballot, in which case such statement shall not be required, (ii) in the case of a town committee, the statement shall be filed on the seventh day preceding each municipal election in addition to such date, [and] (iii) in the case of a candidate committee in a state election that is required to file any supplemental campaign finance statements pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-712, as amended by this act, such supplemental campaign finance statements shall satisfy the filing requirement under this subdivision, and (iv) in the case of a candidate committee established by a candidate whose name is not eligible to appear on the ballot, such statement shall not be required, and (C) if the committee has made or received a contribution or expenditure in connection with any other election, a primary or a referendum, on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum, except that in the case of a candidate committee in a primary that is required to file statements pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-712, as amended by this act, such statements shall satisfy the filing requirement under this subdivision. The statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. of the last day of the month preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed, except that for the statement required to be filed on the seventh day preceding the election, primary or referendum, the statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. of the second day immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall cover a period to begin with the first day not included in the last filed statement. In the case of a candidate committee, the statement required to be filed in January shall be in lieu of the statement formerly required to be filed within forty-five days following an election.
(2) Each [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee [, within] established by a candidate in a primary, not later than thirty days following [any] such primary, and each [campaign] treasurer of a political committee formed for a single primary, election or referendum, [within] not later than forty-five days after any election or referendum not held in November, shall file statements in the same manner as is required of them under subdivision (1) of this subsection. A candidate committee established by a candidate who is unsuccessful in the primary shall not be required to file any statements required under subdivision (1) of this subsection following the primary unless the candidate is eligible to appear on the general election ballot. If the [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee established by a candidate, who is unsuccessful in the primary or has terminated his candidacy prior to the primary, distributes all surplus funds within thirty days following the scheduled primary and discloses the distribution on the postprimary statement, such [campaign] treasurer shall not be required to file any subsequent statement unless the committee has a deficit, in which case he shall file any required statements in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of this section.
(3) In the case of state central committees, (A) on the tenth calendar day in the months of January, April and July, provided, if such tenth calendar day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on the next business day, [and] (B) on the twelfth day preceding any regular election, and (C) if the committee has made or received a contribution or expenditure in connection with any other election, or any primary or referendum, on the twelfth day preceding the election, primary or referendum, the [campaign] treasurer of each such committee shall file with the proper authority, a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, complete as of the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which such statement is to be filed in the case of statements required to be filed in January, April and July, and complete as of the nineteenth day preceding an election, primary or referendum in the case of the statement required to be filed on the twelfth day preceding an election, primary or referendum, and in each case covering a period to begin with the first day not included in the last filed statement.
Sec. 15. Subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 9-608 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(e) (1) Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter, in the event of a surplus the [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee or of a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities or an exploratory committee, shall distribute or expend such surplus not later than ninety days, or for the purposes of subparagraph (H) of this subdivision, one hundred twenty days after a primary which results in the defeat of the candidate, an election or referendum not held in November or by March thirty-first following an election or referendum held in November, or for the purposes of subparagraph (H) of this subdivision, June thirtieth following an election or referendum held in November, in the following manner:
(A) Such committees may distribute their surplus to a party committee, or a political committee organized for ongoing political activities, return such surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, distribute all or any part of such surplus to the Citizens' Election Fund established in section 9-701, [or] distribute such surplus to any charitable organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, or, in the case of a candidate committee for any candidate, other than a participating candidate, distribute such surplus to an organization under Section 501(c)(19) of said code, as from time to time amended, provided (i) no candidate committee may distribute such surplus to a committee which has been established to finance future political campaigns of the candidate, (ii) a candidate committee which received moneys from the Citizens' Election Fund shall distribute such surplus to such fund, and (iii) a candidate committee for a nonparticipating candidate, as described in subsection (b) of section 9-703, may only distribute any such surplus to the Citizens' Election Fund or to a charitable organization;
(B) Each such political committee established by an organization which received its funds from the organization's treasury shall return its surplus to its sponsoring organization;
(C) (i) Each political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of any referendum question, which does not receive contributions from a business entity or an organization, shall distribute its surplus to a party committee, to a political committee organized for ongoing political activities, to a national committee of a political party, to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, to state or municipal governments or agencies or to any organization which is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended. (ii) Each political committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of any referendum question, which receives contributions from a business entity or an organization, shall distribute its surplus to all contributors to the committee on a prorated basis of contribution, to state or municipal governments or agencies, or to any organization which is tax-exempt under said provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a committee formed for a single referendum shall not be required to expend its surplus not later than ninety days after the referendum and may continue in existence if a substantially similar referendum question on the same issue will be submitted to the electorate within six months after the first referendum. If two or more substantially similar referenda on the same issue are submitted to the electorate, each no more than six months apart, the committee shall expend such surplus within ninety days following the date of the last such referendum;
(D) The [campaign] treasurer of the candidate committee of a candidate who is elected to office may, upon the authorization of such candidate, expend surplus campaign funds to pay for the cost of clerical, secretarial or other office expenses necessarily incurred by such candidate in preparation for taking office; except such surplus shall not be distributed for the personal benefit of any individual or to any organization;
(E) The [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee, or of a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities or an exploratory committee, shall, prior to the dissolution of such committee, either (i) distribute any equipment purchased, including, but not limited to, computer equipment, to any recipient as set forth in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, or (ii) sell any equipment purchased, including but not limited to computer equipment, to any person for fair market value and then distribute the proceeds of such sale to any recipient as set forth in said subparagraph (A);
(F) The [campaign] treasurer of a qualified candidate committee may, following an election or unsuccessful primary, provide a post-primary thank you meal or a post-election thank you meal for committee workers, provided such meal (i) occurs not later than fourteen days after the applicable election or primary day, and (ii) the cost for such meal does not exceed thirty dollars per worker;
(G) The [campaign] treasurer of a qualified candidate committee may, following an election or unsuccessful primary, exclusive of any payments that have been rendered pursuant to a written service agreement, make payment to a [campaign] treasurer for services rendered to the candidate committee, provided such payment does not exceed one thousand dollars; and
(H) The [campaign] treasurer of a candidate committee may, following an election or unsuccessful primary, utilize funds for the purpose of complying with any audit conducted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission pursuant to subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of section 9-7b.
Sec. 16. Subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (f) of section 9-610 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(f) (1) A political committee established by two or more individuals under subparagraph (B) of subdivision (3) of section 9-601, as amended by this act, other than a committee established solely for the purpose of aiding or promoting any candidate or candidates for municipal office or the success or defeat of a referendum question, shall be subject to the prohibition on acceptance of lobbyist contributions under subsection (e) of this section unless the [campaign] treasurer of the committee has filed a registration statement as described in subsection (b) of section 9-605 with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, on or before November 15, 2012, for all such political committees in existence on such date, or, if the committee is not in existence on such date, not later than ten days after the organization of the committee pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-605, and on or before November fifteenth of each even-numbered year thereafter. Such statements shall be filed even if there are no changes, additions or deletions to the registration statement previously filed with the commission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, if an officer of the committee has changed since the last registration statement filed with the commission, such registration statement shall be filed by the chairperson of the committee.
(2) A political committee established for ongoing political activities and required pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-603 to file statements with the commission shall be subject to the prohibition on making contributions under subsection (e) of this section unless the [campaign] treasurer of the committee has filed a registration statement as described in subsection (b) of section 9-605 with the commission, on forms prescribed by the commission, on or before November 15, 2012, for all such political committees in existence on such date, or, if the committee is not in existence on such date, not later than ten days after the organization of the committee pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-605, and on or before November fifteenth of each even-numbered year thereafter. Such statements shall be filed even if there are no changes, additions or deletions to the registration statement previously filed with the commission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, if an officer of the committee has changed since the last registration statement filed with the commission, such registration statement shall be filed by the chairperson of the committee.
Sec. 17. Subsection (a) of section 9-712 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) (1) The [campaign] treasurer of each candidate committee in a primary campaign or a general election campaign in which there is at least one participating candidate shall file weekly supplemental campaign finance statements with the commission in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of this subsection. Such weekly statements shall be in lieu of the campaign finance statements due pursuant to subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-608, as amended by this act.
(2) Each such [campaign] treasurer shall file weekly supplemental campaign finance statements with the commission pursuant to the following schedule: (A) In the case of a primary campaign, on the [next] second Thursday following the date in July on which treasurers are required to file campaign finance statements pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-608, as amended by this act, and each Thursday thereafter up to and including the Thursday before the day of the primary, and (B) in the case of a general election campaign, on the [next] second Thursday following the date in October on which candidates are required to file campaign finance statements pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-608, as amended by this act, and each Thursday thereafter up to and including the Thursday before the day of the election. The statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. of the second day immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall cover the period beginning with the first day not included in the last filed statement.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, if a participating candidate committee in a primary campaign or a general election campaign in which there is at least one participating candidate makes expenditures or incurs an obligation to make expenditures that, in the aggregate, exceed one hundred per cent of the applicable expenditure limit for the applicable primary or general election campaign period, the [campaign] treasurer of any such candidate committee shall file a declaration of excess expenditures statement with the commission, pursuant to the following schedule: (A) If a candidate committee makes expenditures or incurs an obligation to make such expenditures more than twenty days before the day of such primary or election, the [campaign] treasurer of such candidate shall file such statement with the commission not later than forty-eight hours after making such expenditures or incurring an obligation to make such expenditures, and (B) if a candidate committee makes such expenditures or incurs an obligation to make such expenditures twenty days or less before the day of such primary or election, the [campaign] treasurer of such candidate shall file such statement with the commission not later than twenty-four hours after making such expenditures or incurring an obligation to make such expenditures. The statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. of the first day immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall cover a period beginning with the first day not included in the last filed statement.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the statements required to be filed pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall not be required to be filed by (A) a candidate committee of a candidate that is exempt from filing campaign finance statements pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-608 unless or until such a candidate committee receives or expends an amount in excess of one thousand dollars for purposes of the primary or election for which such committee was formed, (B) a candidate committee of a candidate that is no longer eligible for a position on the ballot, or [(B)] (C) a candidate committee of a participating candidate that is unopposed, except that such candidate committee shall file a supplemental statement on the last Thursday before the applicable primary or general election. Such statement shall be complete as of eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. of the second day immediately preceding the required filing day. The statement shall cover a period beginning with the first day not included in the last filed statement.
(5) Each supplemental statement required under subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection for a candidate shall disclose the information required under subsection (c) of section 9-608, as amended by this act. The commission shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, specifying permissible media for the transmission of such statements to the commission, which shall include electronic [mail] filing.
Sec. 18. Subsection (e) of section 9-615 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(e) [No political committee established by an organization shall make contributions to the committees designated in subsection (d) of this section, which in the aggregate exceed fifteen thousand dollars in any one calendar year. ] Contributions to a political committee established by an organization shall also be subject to the provisions of section 9-618 in the case of a committee formed for ongoing political activity or section 9-619 in the case of a committee formed for a single election or primary.
Sec. 19. Subsection (c) of section 9-611 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(c) No individual shall make contributions to such candidates or committees which in the aggregate exceed [fifteen] thirty thousand dollars for any single election and primary preliminary [thereto] to such election.
Sec. 20. Section 9-391 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office to be voted upon at a municipal election, or for the election of town committee members shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the fifty-sixth day or later than the forty-ninth day preceding the day of such primary. Such endorsement may be made of a candidate whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the municipality or political subdivision within which such candidate is to run for nomination. The endorsement shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by either (1) the chairman or presiding officer, or (2) the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p. m. on the forty-eighth day preceding the day of such primary. Such certification shall contain the name and street address of each person so endorsed, the title of the office or the position as committee member and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such person is endorsed. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the town clerk by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for purposes of sections 9-417, 9-418 and 9-419, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified such endorsement of any candidate for such office.
(b) Each selection of delegates to a state or district convention shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the one-hundred-fortieth day and not later than the one-hundred-thirty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such state or district office. Such selection shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee or caucus, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p. m. on the one-hundred-thirty-second day preceding the day of such primary. Each such certification shall contain the name and street address of each person so selected, the position as delegate, and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such person is selected. If such a certificate of a party's selection is not received by the town clerk by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-420, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any selection of any person for the position of delegate.
(c) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the eighty-fourth day or later than the seventy-seventh day preceding the day of such primary. Any certification to be filed under this subsection shall be received by the Secretary of the State, in the case of a candidate for the office of state senator or state representative, or the town clerk, in the case of a candidate for any other municipal office to be voted upon at a state election, not later than four o'clock p. m. on the fourteenth day after the close of the town committee meeting, caucus or convention, as the case may be. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the Secretary of the State or the town clerk, as the case may be, by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for the purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-418, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any endorsement of any candidate for such office. The candidate so endorsed for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election, other than the office of justice of the peace, shall file with the Secretary of the State or the town clerk, as the case may be, a certificate, signed by that candidate, stating that such candidate was so endorsed, the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full street address and the title and district of the office for which the candidate was endorsed. Such certificate may be filed by a candidate whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the senatorial district within which the candidate is endorsed to run for nomination in the case of the municipal office of state senator, or the assembly district within which a person is endorsed to run for nomination in the case of the municipal office of state representative, or the municipality or political subdivision within which a person is to run for nomination for other municipal offices to be voted on at a state election. Such certificate shall be attested by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention which made such endorsement. The endorsement of candidates for the office of justice of the peace shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, and shall contain the name and street address of each person so endorsed and the title of the office for which each such person is endorsed.
Sec. 21. Section 9-406 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
A candidacy for nomination by a political party to a municipal office or a candidacy for election as a member of a town committee may be filed by or on behalf of any person whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the [municipality or within the political subdivision,] senatorial district [or assembly district] within which a person is to be nominated [or] in the case of the municipal office of state senator, or the assembly district within which a person is to be nominated in the case of the municipal office of state representative, or the municipality or political subdivision within which a person is to be nominated in the case of a town committee member [is to be elected, as the case may be] or for any other municipal office. Any such candidacy shall be filed by filing with the registrar within the applicable time specified in section 9-405 a petition signed by (1) at least five per cent of the electors whose names appear upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party in such municipality or in such political subdivision, senatorial district or assembly district, or (2) such lesser number of such electors as such party by its rules prescribes, as the case may be. For the purpose of computing five per cent of the last-completed enrollment list, the registrar shall use the last printed enrollment list and the printed updated list, if any, of a political party certified and last completed by the registrars of voters prior to the date the first primary petition was issued, excluding therefrom the names of individuals who have ceased to be electors.
Sec. 22. (Effective from passage) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 155 of the general statutes, any penalty imposed by the State Elections Enforcement Commission due to a filing that was not deemed to be received in a timely manner by said commission in accordance with the provisions of section 9-608 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, may be waived by said commission, provided (1) such filing was due to be received by said commission during January, 2012, and (2) said commission determines that the treasurer's actions were such that the filing reasonably should have been received on or before the deadline applicable to such filing.
Sec. 23. Section 9-153e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
A member of the armed forces who is an elector or an applicant for admission as an elector, or the member's spouse or dependent if living where such member is stationed, may apply before a regular election for a blank absentee ballot to vote for all offices being contested at the election. The clerk shall make such ballots available for this purpose beginning not earlier than ninety days before the election. Application shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State or on the federal postcard application form provided pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 100 Stat. 924, 42 USC 1973ff et seq. , as amended from time to time, or any other applicable law and shall be issued only if the applicant states that due to military contingencies the regular application procedure, as set forth in section 9-140, cannot be followed. Upon receipt of the application, the municipal clerk shall issue the ballot and a cover sheet pursuant to section 25 of this act, either by mail or electronic means, as requested by the elector, which shall be prescribed and provided by the Secretary of the State, and a list of the offices to be voted upon indicating the number of individuals for which each elector may vote. As soon as a complete list of nominated candidates, including the party designations of such candidates, and questions is available, the clerk shall send such list to each applicant. If the list of candidates and questions is not available when the ballot is issued, the clerk shall include a statement indicating that such list shall be mailed as soon as it becomes available. The ballot shall permit the elector to vote by writing in the names of specific candidates and offices for which he is voting. The elector may also vote on the questions in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of the State. If such ballot is issued by electronic means, the clerk shall include a certification prescribed by the Secretary of the State that the elector shall be required to complete, sign and return with the completed ballot in order for such ballot to be counted. If the military contingency no longer exists, application for an additional ballot for all offices may be made pursuant to the provisions of section 9-153b.
Sec. 24. Section 9-153f of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-140, any elector who is living, or expects to be living or traveling before and on election day, outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia and any member of the armed forces who is an elector or an applicant for admission as an elector, or the member's spouse or dependent if living where such member is stationed, may apply for a blank absentee ballot to vote for all offices being contested at an election or primary. Application shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State or on the federal postcard application form provided pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 100 Stat. 924, 42 USC 1973ff et seq. , as amended from time to time, or any other applicable law. The municipal clerk receiving such an application shall, as soon as a complete list of candidates and questions to be voted upon at such election or primary becomes available, issue the ballot and a cover sheet pursuant to section 25 of this act, either by mail or electronic means, as requested by the elector, which shall be the blank ballot prescribed and provided by the Secretary of the State under section 9-153e, as amended by this act. The clerk shall include with the ballot a complete list of the offices to be voted upon, the number of individuals for which each elector may vote, the candidates, and, in the case of an election, the party designation of each candidate and questions to be voted upon. If such ballot is issued by electronic means, the clerk shall include a certification prescribed by the Secretary of the State that the elector shall be required to complete, sign and return with the completed ballot in order for such ballot to be counted. If application for an absentee ballot is made at the time of availability of regular absentee ballots as provided in section 9-140, the provisions of section 9-140 shall prevail. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the procedures governing the issuance of ballots under this section shall conform as nearly as may be to the procedures provided in section 9-140.
Sec. 25. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 145 of the general statutes, for any election or primary held on or after August 14, 2012, an elector or an applicant for admission as an elector who applies for an absentee ballot pursuant to the provisions of section 9-153e or 9-153f of the general statutes, as amended by this act, may return such ballot, and certification, if required by said section 9-153e or 9-153f, and the cover sheet prescribed by the Secretary of the State pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, by facsimile or electronic mail and such ballot shall be counted with other absentee ballots in accordance with the provisions of section 9-150a of the general statutes, provided (1) the municipal clerk receives such electronically returned ballot, certification and signed cover sheet prior to the closing of the polls on the day of the election or primary, as applicable, and (2) such elector does not also mail the original ballot or a hard copy of the ballot to the municipal clerk.
(b) Not later than June 1, 2012, the Secretary of the State shall prescribe a cover sheet for electronic transmission of absentee ballots. Such sheet shall provide instructions for returning a ballot by electronic means and to include the elector's name, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address from which the ballot was returned, as applicable. Such cover sheet shall include the following statement: "I understand that by faxing or emailing my voted ballot I am voluntarily waiving my right to a secret ballot only to the extent that the appropriate election official must receive and process my ballot.
Signature: …. Date: …. "
Sec. 26. Subsection (d) of section 9-608 of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(d) At the time of filing statements required under this section, the [campaign] treasurer of each candidate committee shall send to the candidate a duplicate statement and the [campaign] treasurer of each party committee and each political committee other than an exploratory committee shall send to the chairman of the committee a duplicate statement. Each statement required to be filed with the commission under this section, subsection (e) of section 9-612, section 9-706 or section 9-712 shall be deemed to be filed in a timely manner if: (1) For a statement filed as a hard copy, including, but not limited to, a statement delivered by the United States Postal Service, courier service, parcel service or hand delivery, the statement is received by the commission by five o'clock p. m. on the day the statement is required to be filed, (2) for a statement authorized by the commission to be filed electronically, including, but not limited to, a statement filed via dedicated electronic mail, facsimile machine, a web-based program created by the commission or other electronic means, the statement is transmitted to the commission not later than eleven fifty-nine o'clock p. m. on the day the statement is required to be filed, or (3) for a statement required to be filed pursuant to subsection (e) of section 9-612, section 9-706 or section 9-712, by the deadline specified in each such section. Any other filing required to be filed with a town clerk pursuant to this section shall be deemed to be filed in a timely manner if it is delivered by hand to the office of the town clerk in accordance with the provisions of section 9-603 before four-thirty o'clock p. m. or postmarked by the United States Postal Service before midnight on the required filing day. If the day for any filing falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the statement shall be filed on the next business day thereafter. The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall not levy a penalty upon a treasurer for failure to file a hard copy of a statement in a timely manner in accordance with the provisions of this section, if such treasurer has a copy of the statement time stamped by the State Elections Enforcement Commission which shows timely receipt of the statement, or the treasurer has return receipt from the United States Postal Service or a similar receipt from a commercial delivery service confirming timely receipt of such statement by said commission.