SB 655

This bill makes various changes in the campaign finance and lobbying laws.

Significant provisions include:

Internet political activity; individual and public communications

Currently, with certain exceptions, payments for political communications are

subject to disclosure under the campaign finance law, regardless of the medium that

is used to conduct the communications. Payments for Internet communications are

treated like payments for other communications. Currently, the cost of news stories,

political interviews, editorial commentary, or endorsements, regardless of the

medium by which they are distributed, are not contributions or disbursements and

therefore are not reportable. The costs of communications by an organization other

than a political party or personal campaign committee that are limited to the

organization's members, shareholders, or subscribers are generally not reportable.

In addition, all services for a political purpose by an individual on behalf of a

campaign finance registrant are not reportable and are not subject to the current

prohibition on contributions and disbursements by corporations and cooperatives

unless the individual performing the services is compensated specifically for those

services.

This bill provides that any cost incurred to conduct Internet activity is not a

contribution or disbursement, and is therefore not reportable if it is performed by an

individual acting in his or her own behalf, or acting in behalf of another person, and

if the individual is not compensated specifically for his or her services. This includes

the cost or value of any equipment and services used by the individual to conduct the

activity, but does not include professional video production services purchased by the

individual. The bill similarly provides that any cost incurred in covering a news

story, commentary, or editorial by a broadcasting station, cable television operator,

producer, or programmer, Internet site, or newspaper or other periodical publication,

including an Internet or other periodical publication, except the cost of a news story

that appears in a medium that is owned by a candidate, candidate's authorized

committee, or political party, is not a contribution or disbursement and is therefore

not reportable. In addition, the bill provides specifically that the following are

disbursements, and are therefore reportable: a) any payment for a communication

to the general public for a political purpose except an Internet communication that

is not a disbursement under the bill; b) any payment for the purchase or rental of an

electronic-mail address list that is made at the direction of a campaign finance

registrant for a political purpose; or c) any payment for an electronic-mail address

list that is transferred to a registrant for a political purpose. The bill provides

however, that the following are not disbursements, and are therefore not reportable:

a) a communication or Internet activity by an individual acting in his or her own

behalf, or acting in behalf of another person if the individual is not compensated

specifically for those services, including the cost or value of any electronic equipment