SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1766        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sal N. DiDomenico

_________________

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 improving campaign finance reporting by state ballot question committees.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1766        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

An Act improving campaign finance reporting by state ballot question committees.

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 as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Independent expenditure” the following definition:- 

“In-kind contribution”, anything of value that is provided to a committee or candidate in a non-monetary form, including but not limited to: (1) the value of goods or services provided free of charge; (2) the difference between the cost charged and the usual market value charged; or (3) the amount paid by a person or entity on behalf of the committee or candidate.

SECTION 2. Paragraph (4) of subsection (a) section 18 of said chapter 55, as so appearing, , is hereby amended by striking out the words “, independent expenditure PACs organized pursuant to section 18A and political committees organized under the provisions of section 5 to favor or oppose a question submitted to the voters, if the question appears on the ballot at the state election” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and independent expenditure PACs organized pursuant to section 18A.

SECTION 3. Said subsection (a) said section 18 of said chapter 55, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out paragraph (5).

SECTION 4. Subsection (a) of section 19 of said chapter 55, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “aforesaid candidates” the following words:- , the treasurer of each ballot question committee, if the question appears on the ballot at the state election.

SECTION 5. Paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of said section 19 of said chapter 55, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence;- In addition, a ballot question committee, if the question appears on the ballot at the state election, shall include the following information: (i) a list of all in-kind contributions of more than $50 received as of the last day of the preceding month and since the last statement, including an alphabetical list of names and addresses of each person making such contribution, the date received, the type of in-kind contribution and the value of the in-kind contribution; and (ii) a list of new liabilities incurred as of the last day of the preceding month, including the name and address of the person to whom the liability exists, together with a clear statement of purpose for which it was incurred.

SECTION 6. Section 22 of said chapter 55, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

If the question appears on the ballot at the state election, the report shall be filed with the director as follows: (1) by the fifth day of each month covering the preceding month until the sixtieth day before the election;  (2) the sixtieth day before the election; (3) on or before the fifth and twentieth day of each month, complete as of the preceding first and fifteenth day of the month, until the election; (4) the twentieth day of November following the election, complete as of the fifteenth day of the month; and (5) the twentieth day of January of each year, complete as of December 31 of the prior year, until all declared liabilities of that person or corporation, association, organization or other group of persons have been discharged.