HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1512        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 594

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act establishing a cap on candidates' committees campaign funds..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 55 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Political party committee” the following definition:-

“Surplus funds”, any funds remaining in the depository account of a candidate’s committee in excess of $30,000 for a candidate for state representative and $100,000 for a candidate for state senate.

SECTION 2: Section 19 of chapter 55 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (f) the following subsection:-

(g) Within 60 days after the conclusion of an election, the candidate’s committee shall be required to dispose of surplus funds: (1) in accordance with campaign finance laws as established in chapter 55; (2) by returning the remaining funds proportionally to all donors; or (3) through donation to a charitable organization.