SB 850

Current law requires a committee that wishes to engage in certain campaign

finance activities to register with the Ethics Commission and to report information

about contributions, expenditures, and obligations related to campaigns. The

trigger for registration varies depending on the nature of the committee. For

example, a candidate committee must register as soon as practicable after the

individual qualifies as a candidate; a legislative campaign committee must register

before making or accepting contributions, making disbursements, or incurring

obligations to support or oppose a candidate; and political action committees and

independent expenditure committees must register after making or accepting

contributions, disbursements, or obligations in an aggregate amount in excess of

$2,500.

This bill requires a political action committee, an independent expenditure

committee, and a recall committee to register if the committee makes a disbursement

or incurs an obligation on a mass communication. The bill also requires all registered

committees, other than a referendum committee or a conduit, to include on their

campaign finance reports information about disbursements made or obligations

incurred on a mass communication.

The bill also requires a person who is not a committee but who makes a

disbursement of $500 or more on a mass communication to report that information

and other information related to the mass communication within 24 hours.

The bill defines mass communication as a message that is disseminated by

means of one or more communications media, a mass electronic communication, a

mass distribution, or a mass telephoning, but not including a bona fide poll

conducted for the purpose of objectively identifying or collecting data concerning the

attitude or preference of electors, if the communication 1) is made within 60 days

before an election; 2) includes a reference to a clearly identified candidate whose

name will appear on the ballot for that election; and 3) is susceptible of no reasonable

interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against the candidate. The bill

requires the person making the disbursement to report information including the

name and address of the person that received the disbursement for the mass

communication and the amount of the disbursement or obligation.