HB 461-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2001 SESSION

01-0570

03/01

HOUSE BILL 461-FN

AN ACT requiring all officers and officials elected by either or both houses of the legislature to file certain reports and register as political committees.

SPONSORS: Rep. DiFruscia, Rock 27; Rep. Soltani, Merr 10; Rep. Burling, Sull 1; Rep. Phinizy, Sull 7; Rep. Marshall Quandt, Rock 20

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill requires all candidates for secretary of state, treasurer, speaker of the house of representatives, senate president, house clerk, senate clerk, house sergeant at arms, and senate sergeant at arms to file certain reports and register as political committees.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01-0570

03/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

AN ACT requiring all officers and officials elected by either or both houses of the legislature to file certain reports and register as political committees.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Reporting of Expenditures and Contributions to Candidates for Legislatively-Elected Office Required. Amend RSA 664 by inserting after section 7 the following new section:

664:7-a Reporting by Candidates for Legislatively-Elected Office.

I. In this section, "legislatively-elected office" means secretary of state, treasurer, speaker of the house of representatives, senate president, house clerk, senate clerk, house sergeant at arms, and senate sergeant at arms.

II. Each candidate seeking election for legislatively-elected office shall:

(a) File statements before and after such election in like manner and detail prescribed in RSA 664:6, II, II-a, and III, except that the date of the respective election, rather than the date of the primary or general election, shall determine the dates of such statements; and

(b) Register as a political committee, pursuant to RSA 664:3, on the date that such person becomes a candidate for legislatively-elected office, notwithstanding the definition of the term "political committee" in RSA 664:2, III.

III. In this section, and notwithstanding RSA 664:2, II, the term "candidate" means a person who seeks nomination for election, or election, for legislatively-elected office, and for purposes of this section, a person shall be deemed to seek nomination for election, or election if such person:

(a) Has received gifts or contributions for such purposes; or

(b) Has given his or her consent to another person to receive gifts or contributions or make expenditures on behalf of such person and if such other person has received such gifts or contributions for such purposes.

IV. No candidate shall be entitled to legislatively-elected office until the sworn itemized statements required to be filed by the candidate or on the candidate's behalf have been filed as required by this section.

2 Itemized Statements Filed by Facsimile Transmission; Reference Added. Amend RSA 664:9-a to read as follows:

664:9-a Itemized Statements Filed by Facsimile Transmission. The sworn itemized statements required to be filed by a political committee or a candidate or on [his] the candidate's behalf as required by RSA 664:6, [and] 664:7, and 664:7-a may be filed by means of a facsimile transmission; provided, however, that a statement which is transmitted electronically or telephonically by a facsimile device shall also be filed by a political committee or a candidate or on [his] the candidate's behalf not later than the last day of each filing period under RSA 664:6, [and] 664:7, and 664:7-a if a facsimile transmission is used.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2002.

LBAO

01-0570

1/31/01

HB 461-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT requiring all officers and officials elected by either or both houses of the legislature to file certain reports and register as political committees.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.