HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1021        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3408

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Brian R. Mannal

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act requiring 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations engaged in voter education activities to disclose donor information.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1021        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3408

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act requiring 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations engaged in voter education activities to disclose donor information.

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 18C of chapter 55 of the General Laws, as appearing in section 21 of chapter 210 of the acts of 2014, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 33, the word “and”.

SECTION 2. Said section 18C of said chapter 55, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the figure “18F”, in line 36, the following words:- ; and

(xi) an individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity that conducts voter education activity in accordance with section 18H.

SECTION 3. Chapter 55 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18G the following section:-

Section18H. For purposes of this section, “voter education activity” shall mean any activity, project or plan designed to educate a voter with respect to a particular candidate, political affiliation, platform, policy or issue for the purposes of influencing the decision of the voter.

Every individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee that conducts voter education activities shall electronically file with the director, within 7 days after undertaking such activity, a report stating the name and address of the individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity conducting the voter education activity and the total amount or monetary value of the activity. The report shall identify the names and any past and present political affiliations of all board members, directors, managers or other employees of such individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee who conducts voter education activities. In addition, any individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee conducting voter education activities who receives funds for the purpose of conducting such activities shall include in the electronic filing the date the funds were received and the name and address of the provider of any such funds. Reports required by this section shall be filed with the director as provided in section 18C.