SENATE DOCKET, NO. 434        FILED ON: 1/16/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 378

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

_________________

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 enhancing transparency in campaign finance.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

2/8/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

2/3/2017

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 434        FILED ON: 1/16/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 378

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 378) of James B. Eldridge, Mark C. Montigny, Barbara A. L'Italien and Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to enhance transparency in campaign finance.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act enhancing transparency in campaign finance.

 

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, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "elected" in line 12, the following:-

, or to the state committee of a political party if such position appears on the ballot

SECTION 2. Section 1 of said chapter 55 is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "expenditure." in line 185, the following:-

In the case of a candidate for state committee of a political party, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply unless the candidate or any other person or committee acting on his or her behalf has received or expended money or anything of value of $1,000 or more.

SECTION 3. Section 6 of said chapter 55 is hereby amended by inserting after the word "committee." in line 52, the following:-

The state committee of a political party may contribute or expend unlimited in-kind contributions to the campaign fund of a candidate, provided that funds raised or expended for such contributions and expenditures are from the state account of the party and raised under the limitations of this chapter.

SECTION 4. Section 7 of said chapter 55 is hereby amended by inserting after the word "solicitation." in line 26, the following:-

No political committee of a political party may contribute to the campaign fund of a candidate except with funds raised under the limitations of this chapter.

SECTION 5. Section 18 of said chapter 55 is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following subsection:-

(c) by each candidate for nomination or election to the state committee of a political party, and by the non-elected political committee organized on behalf of such candidate, if receiving or expending $1,000 or more, on or before: (1) the eighth day preceding the election the candidate appears on the ballot and (2) as a final report, the thirtieth day following said election.