Bill Text: CT HB05552 | 2014 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

Connecticut House Bill 5552 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: An Act Concerning Slate Committees.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-05-05 - Senate Calendar Number 576 [HB05552 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2014-HB05552-Comm_Sub.html

General Assembly		*Substitute Bill No. 5552*
*February Session, 2014*		_____HB05552GAE___032814____

AN ACT CONCERNING SLATE COMMITTEES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 9-601 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):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:

(1) "Committee" means a party committee, political committee, slate 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)] (D) a legislative caucus committee, or [(F)] (E) a legislative leadership committee. "Political committee" does not include a candidate committee, slate committee or party 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, other than for a party committee, made expenditures or given such individual's consent to any other person, other than a party committee, 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] a candidate or candidates who are to appear on the ballot [in a primary for the office of justice of the peace] as a slate committee or part of such committee. For the purposes of sections 9-600 to 9-610, inclusive, and section 9-621, "candidate" also means an individual who is a candidate in a primary for town committee members.

(12) "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 treasurer" means the individual appointed by the candidate or by the chairperson of a committee to serve in the capacity of the treasurer if the treasurer is unable to perform the treasurer's duties.

(14) "Solicitor" means an individual appointed by a 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 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 or a slate 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, and (iii) the communication is made to promote the success or defeat of any candidate or slate of candidates seeking the nomination for election, or election or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political party, provided such communication is not a solicitation for or on behalf of a candidate committee;

(B) A document in printed or electronic form, including a party platform, an electronic page providing merchant account services to be used by a candidate for the collection of on-line contributions, 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;

(D) The retention of the services of an advisor to provide assistance relating to campaign organization, financing, accounting, strategy, law or media.

(26) "Solicit" means (A) requesting that a contribution be made, (B) participating in any fundraising 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, serving on the committee that is hosting a fundraising event, introducing the candidate or making other public remarks at a fundraising event, being honored or otherwise recognized at a fundraising event, 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, (iv) serving as a member in any party committee or as an officer of such committee that is not otherwise prohibited in this subdivision, or (v) mere attendance at a fundraiser.

(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 fundraising 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) (A) "Covered transfer" means any donation, transfer or payment of funds by a person to another person if the person receiving the donation, transfer or payment makes independent expenditures or transfers funds to another person who makes independent expenditures.

(B) The term "covered transfer" does not include:

(i) A donation, transfer or payment made by a person in the ordinary course of any trade or business;

(ii) A donation, transfer or payment made by a person, if the person making the donation, transfer or payment prohibited the use of such donation, transfer or payment for an independent expenditure or a covered transfer and the recipient of the donation, transfer or payment agreed to follow the prohibition and deposited the donation, transfer or payment in an account which is segregated from any account used to make independent expenditures or covered transfers;

(iii) Dues, fees or assessments that are transferred between affiliated entities and paid by individuals on a regular, periodic basis in accordance with a per-individual calculation that is made on a regular basis;

(iv) For purposes of this subdivision, "affiliated" means (I) the governing instrument of the entity requires it to be bound by decisions of the other entity; (II) the governing board of the entity includes persons who are specifically designated representatives of the other entity or who are members of the governing board, officers, or paid executive staff members of the other entity, or whose service on the governing board is contingent upon the approval of the other entity; or (III) the entity is chartered by the other entity. "Affiliated" includes entities that are an affiliate of the other entity or where both of the entities are an affiliate of the same entity.

(30) "Party building activity" includes, but is not limited to, any political meeting, conference, convention, and other event, attendance or involvement at which promotes or advances the interests of a party at a local, state or national level, and any associated expenses, including travel, lodging, and any admission fees or other costs, whether or not any such meeting, conference, convention, or other event is sponsored by the party.

(31) "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. (NEW) (Effective from passage) For purposes of chapter 155 of the general statutes and notwithstanding the provisions of said chapter, a slate committee shall be treated as a candidate committee.

Sec. 3. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-603 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) Statements filed by party committees, political committees formed to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question proposing a constitutional convention, constitutional amendment or revision of the Constitution, individual lobbyists, and those political committees and candidate committees formed to aid or promote the success or defeat of any candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller, Attorney General, judge of probate and members of the General Assembly, shall be filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. [A political committee formed for a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace shall file statements with the town clerk of the municipality in which the primary is to be held.]

(b) Statements filed by political committees formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question to be voted upon by the electors of a single municipality and those political committees, [or] candidate committees or slate committees formed to aid or promote the success or defeat of any candidate or candidates for public office, other than those enumerated in subsection (a) of this section, or the position of town committee member shall be filed only with the town clerk of the municipality in which the election or referendum is to be held. Each unsalaried town clerk shall be entitled to receive ten cents from the town for the filing of each such statement.

Sec. 4. Section 9-604 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) [Each] Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, each candidate for a particular public office or the position of town committee member shall form a single candidate committee for which he shall designate a treasurer and a depository institution situated in this state as the depository for the committee's funds and shall file a committee statement containing such designations, not later than ten days after becoming a candidate, with the proper authority as required by section 9-603. The candidate may also designate a deputy treasurer on such committee statement. The treasurer and any deputy treasurer so designated shall sign a statement accepting such designation which the candidate shall include as part of, or file with, the committee statement.

(b) The formation of a candidate committee by a candidate and the filing of statements pursuant to section 9-608 shall not be required if the candidate files a certification with the proper authority required by section 9-603, not later than ten days after becoming a candidate, and any of the following conditions exist for the campaign: (1) The candidate is one of a slate of candidates whose campaigns are funded solely by a party committee or a political committee formed for a single election or primary and expenditures made on behalf of the candidate's campaign are reported by the committee sponsoring the candidate's candidacy; (2) the candidate is part of a slate committee, formed pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, that uses the slate committee as the sole vehicle for funding the candidate's campaign; (3) the candidate finances the candidate's campaign entirely from personal funds and does not solicit or receive contributions, provided if said candidate personally makes an expenditure or expenditures in excess of one thousand dollars to, or for the benefit of, said candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election to an office or position, said candidate shall file statements according to the same schedule and in the same manner as is required of a treasurer of a candidate committee under section 9-608; [(3)] (4) the candidate does not receive or expend funds in excess of one thousand dollars; or [(4)] (5) the candidate does not receive or expend any funds, including personal funds, for the candidate's campaign. If the candidate no longer qualifies for the exemption under any of these conditions, the candidate shall comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, not later than three business days thereafter and shall provide the candidate's designated treasurer with all information required for completion of the treasurer's statements and filings as required by section 9-608. If the candidate no longer qualifies for the exemption due to the condition stated in the candidate's certification but so qualifies due to a different condition specified in this subsection, the candidate shall file an amended certification with the proper authority and provide the new condition for the candidate's qualification not later than three business days following the change in circumstances of the financing of the candidate's campaign. The filing of a certification under this subsection shall not relieve the candidate from compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

(c) The chairman of a political committee formed to support a single candidate for public office shall, not later than seven days after filing a statement of organization with the proper authority under section 9-603, send the candidate a notice, by certified mail, of such filing. If a candidate (1) does not, within fourteen days after receiving such notice, disavow such committee, in writing, to the proper authority under section 9-603, or (2) disavows such committee within such period, but, at any time before such disavowal, accepts funds from the committee for his campaign, such committee shall be deemed to have been authorized by such candidate and shall constitute a candidate committee for the purposes of this chapter. No candidate shall establish, agree to or assist in establishing, or give his consent or authorization to establishing a committee other than a single candidate committee to promote his candidacy for any public office except that a candidate may establish an exploratory committee. The candidate shall designate on the statement of organization for the exploratory committee the type of office to which the candidate is determining whether to seek nomination or election, as follows: (A) The General Assembly, (B) a state office, or (C) any other public office. The candidate may also certify on the statement of organization that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office of state representative. Not later than fifteen days after a public declaration by the candidate of the candidate's intention to seek nomination or election to a particular public office, the candidate shall form a single candidate committee, except that in the case of a candidate establishing an exploratory committee for purposes including aiding or promoting the candidate's candidacy for nomination or election to the General Assembly or a state office, the candidate shall form a single candidate committee not later than fifteen days after the date that the treasurer of such exploratory committee is required to file a notice of intent to dissolve the committee under subsection (f) of section 9-608. As used in this subsection, "state office" has the same meaning as provided in subsection (e) of section 9-610.

(d) A slate [of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace] committee shall designate a chairperson to form a single [political] committee to comply with the requirements of section 9-605, except if the [individuals] individual candidates on the slate committee unanimously consent to have their campaign financed solely by a town committee and such committee consents to such financing by filing a statement of consent with the town clerk of the municipality in which the primary is to be held.

Sec. 5. Subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-608 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(c) (1) Each statement filed under subsection (a), (e) or (f) of this section shall include, but not be limited to: (A) An itemized accounting of each contribution, if any, including the full name and complete address of each contributor and the amount of the contribution; (B) an itemized accounting of each expenditure, if any, including the full name and complete address of each payee, including secondary payees whenever the primary or principal payee is known to include charges which the primary payee has already paid or will pay directly to another person, vendor or entity, the amount and the purpose of the expenditure, the candidate supported or opposed by the expenditure, whether the expenditure is made independently of the candidate supported or is an in-kind contribution to the candidate, and a statement of the balance on hand or deficit, as the case may be; (C) an itemized accounting of each expense incurred but not paid, provided if the expense is incurred by use of a credit card, the accounting shall include secondary payees, and the amount owed to each such payee; (D) the name and address of any person who is the guarantor of a loan to, or the cosigner of a note with, the candidate on whose behalf the committee was formed, or the treasurer in the case of a party committee or a political committee or who has advanced a security deposit to a telephone company, as defined in section 16-1, for telecommunications service for a committee; (E) for each business entity or person purchasing advertising space in a program for a fund-raising affair or on signs at a fund-raising affair, the name and address of the business entity or the name and address of the person, and the amount and aggregate amounts of such purchases; (F) for each individual who contributes in excess of one hundred dollars but not more than one thousand dollars, in the aggregate, to the extent known, the principal occupation of such individual and the name of the individual's employer, if any; (G) for each individual who contributes in excess of one thousand dollars in the aggregate, the principal occupation of such individual and the name of the individual's employer, if any; (H) for each itemized contribution made by a lobbyist, the spouse of a lobbyist or any dependent child of a lobbyist who resides in the lobbyist's household, a statement to that effect; and (I) for each individual who contributes in excess of four hundred dollars in the aggregate to or for the benefit of any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or election to the office of chief executive officer or a slate committee or town committee financing the nomination or election or a candidate for chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, a statement indicating whether the individual or a business with which he is associated has a contract with said municipality that is valued at more than five thousand dollars. Each treasurer shall include in such statement (i) an itemized accounting of the receipts and expenditures relative to any testimonial affair held under the provisions of section 9-609 or any other fund-raising affair, which is referred to in subsection (b) of section 9-601a, and (ii) the date, location and a description of the affair, except that a treasurer shall not be required to include the name of any individual who has purchased items at a fund-raising affair or food at a town fair, county fair or similar mass gathering, if the cumulative value of items purchased by such individual does not exceed one hundred dollars, or the name of any individual who has donated food or beverages for a meeting. A treasurer shall not be required to report or retain any receipts or expenditures related to any de minimis donations described in subdivision (17) of subsection (b) of section 9-601a.

Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-611 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) (1) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of three thousand five hundred dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of two thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand dollars; [or (5)] (E) state representative, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars; or (F) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this subsection, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a slate committee in excess of two thousand dollars.

(3) The limits imposed by this subsection shall be applied separately to primaries and elections.

(b) [(1)] No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, an exploratory committee, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, if the candidate establishing the exploratory committee certifies on the statement of organization for the exploratory committee pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-604 that the candidate will not be a candidate for the office of state representative. No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any exploratory committee, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars, if the candidate establishing the exploratory committee does not so certify.

[(2) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, a political committee formed by a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars.]

Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 9-612 of the 2014 supplement to 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 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 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 two thousand dollars to a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, or 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, or (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 (a) of section 9-613 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) No business entity shall make any contributions or expenditures to, or for the benefit of, any [candidate's] campaign of a candidate, including any candidate who is part of a slate committee, for election to any public office or position subject to this chapter or for nomination at a primary for any such office or position, or to promote the defeat of any such candidate for any such office or position. No business entity shall make any other contributions or expenditures to promote the success or defeat of any political party, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section. No business entity shall establish more than one political committee. A political committee shall be deemed to have been established by a business entity if the initial disbursement or contribution to the committee is made under subsection (b) of this section or by an officer, director, owner, limited or general partner or holder of stock constituting five per cent or more of the total outstanding stock of any class of the business entity.

Sec. 9. Subsection (d) of section 9-613 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(d) (1) A political committee organized by a business entity shall not make a contribution or contributions to or for the benefit of any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or any candidate's campaign for election to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) state senator, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(5)] (E) any other office of a municipality not included in [subdivision (3)] subparagraph (C) of this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) A political committee organized by a business entity shall not make a contribution or contributions to or for the benefit of a slate committee in excess of two thousand dollars.

(3) The limits imposed by this subsection shall apply separately to primaries and elections and contributions by any such committee to candidates designated in this subsection shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate for any single election and primary preliminary thereto.

(4) Contributions to such committees shall also be subject to the provisions of section 9-618 in the case of committees formed for ongoing political activity or section 9-619 in the case of committees formed for a single election or primary.

Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 9-615 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) (1) No political committee established by an organization shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary or for election to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6)] (F) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) No political committee established by an organization shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of, any slate committee in excess of two thousand dollars.

Sec. 11. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 9-617 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(b) (1) (A) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(A)] (i) Governor, in excess of fifty thousand dollars; [(B)] (ii) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars; [(C)] (iii) state senator, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of ten thousand dollars; [(D)] (iv) state representative, in excess of five thousand dollars; or [(E)] (v) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of five thousand dollars, [.] except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision. (B) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a slate committee in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars. (C) The limits imposed by this subdivision shall apply separately to primaries and elections.

(2) No state central committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any one calendar year to, or for the benefit of (A) a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, in excess of ten thousand dollars, or (B) any other political committee, other than an exploratory committee or a committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars. No state central committee shall make contributions in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars to an exploratory committee.

(c) (1) (A) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(A)] (i) Governor, in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars; [(B)] (ii) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(C)] (iii) state senator, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(D)] (iv) state representative, probate judge or chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of three thousand dollars; or [(E)] (v) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars, [.] except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision. (B) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a slate committee in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars. (C) The limits imposed by this subdivision shall apply separately to primaries and elections.

(2) No town committee shall make a contribution or contributions in any one calendar year to, or for the benefit of (A) a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, in excess of two thousand dollars, or (B) any other political committee, other than an exploratory committee or a committee formed solely to aid or promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars. No town committee shall make contributions in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars to an exploratory committee.

Sec. 12. Subsection (b) of section 9-618 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(b) (1) No political committee organized for ongoing political purposes, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6)] (F) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) No political committee organized for ongoing political purposes, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of a slate committee in excess of two thousand dollars.

(3) The limits imposed by this subsection shall apply separately to primaries and elections.

Sec. 13. Subsection (b) of section 9-619 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(b) (1) No political committee established for a single primary or election, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of, a candidate or a committee supporting or opposing any candidate's campaign for nomination at a primary, or any candidate's campaign for election, to the office of: [(1)] (A) Governor, in excess of five thousand dollars; [(2)] (B) Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller or Attorney General, in excess of three thousand dollars; [(3)] (C) chief executive officer of a town, city or borough, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(4)] (D) state senator or probate judge, in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars; [(5)] (E) state representative, in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars; or [(6)] (F) any other office of a municipality not previously included in this [subsection] subdivision, in excess of three hundred seventy-five dollars, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) No political committee established for a single primary or election, except a legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee, shall make a contribution or contributions to, for the benefit of, or pursuant to the authorization or request of a slate committee, in excess of two thousand dollars.

(3) The limits imposed by this subsection shall apply separately to primaries and elections.


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	from passage	9-601
Sec. 2	from passage	New section
Sec. 3	from passage	9-603(a) and (b)
Sec. 4	from passage	9-604
Sec. 5	from passage	9-608(c)(1)
Sec. 6	from passage	9-611(a) and (b)
Sec. 7	from passage	9-612(a)
Sec. 8	from passage	9-613(a)
Sec. 9	from passage	9-613(d)
Sec. 10	from passage	9-615(a)
Sec. 11	from passage	9-617(b) and (c)
Sec. 12	from passage	9-618(b)
Sec. 13	from passage	9-619(b)