HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2193        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 676

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Bradford Hill

4th Essex

1/24/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/17/2019

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/17/2019

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/30/2019

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/31/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/28/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/30/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

1/31/2019

Donald H. Wong

9th Essex

1/31/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2193        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 676

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 676) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to campaign financing and reporting.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle.

 

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. Chapter 55 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking section 7A, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 7A. (a)(1) An individual may make campaign contributions to candidates or candidates’ committees; provided, however, that the aggregate of all such contributions for the benefit of any one candidate and that candidate’s committee shall not exceed the sum of $1,000 per election.

(2) An individual may in addition make campaign contributions for the benefit of elected political committees or non-elected political committees organized on behalf of a political party; provided, however, that the aggregate of such campaign contributions for the benefit of the political committees of any one political party shall not exceed the sum of $10,000 per election.

(3) An individual may in addition make campaign contributions to any political committee not specified in paragraph (1), (2) or (4); provided, however, that the aggregate of such campaign contributions to any one such political committee shall not exceed the sum of $1,000 per election.

(4) An individual may in addition make contributions without limitation to ballot question committees.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the aggregate of all contributions by a legislative or executive agent for the benefit of any one candidate and such candidate’s committee shall not exceed the sum of $200 per election. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the aggregate of all contributions by a legislative or executive agent to any other political committee, other than a ballot question committee, shall not exceed the sum of $200 per election.

(c) The contribution and aggregate amount limits referred to in this section shall be indexed biennially for inflation by the director, who, not later than December thirty-first of each even numbered year beginning with 2020, shall calculate and publish such indexed amount, using the federal consumer price index for the Boston statistical area. Such limits, after being calculated as above, shall be rounded to the nearest $50; provided, that, if such resulting amount is less than $50, the director shall retain a record of the resulting amount, when added to the resulting amount calculated in each even numbered year since the last adjustment was made equals or exceeds $50.

(d) For purposes of the limitations on contributions, a contribution to a designated contribution committee which is forwarded to the designated recipient shall be treated in all respects as a direct contribution from the original contributor to the designated recipient.