HB534 (2007) Detail

Relative to political committees of political parties.


CHAPTER 143

HB 534 – FINAL VERSION

2007 SESSION

07-0607

03/10

HOUSE BILL 534

AN ACT relative to political committees of political parties.

SPONSORS: Rep. Benn, Graf 9; Rep. Almy, Graf 11; Rep. Aguiar, Graf 6; Sen. Hassan, Dist 23

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill changes the definition of “political committee of a political party” to include certain regional committees. This bill also clarifies certain reporting requirements for 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-0607

03/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT relative to political committees of political parties.

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

143:1 Political Expenditures and Contributions; Definitions; Political Committee of a Political Party. Amend RSA 664:2, V to read as follows:

V. “Political committee of a political party” means a [the] state, county, regional, city, ward, or town committee of a political party. A regional committee shall be composed only of members who are residents of towns or cities that form a contiguous land area, and shall have been created and approved by the state committee of the political party. To establish regional committees, a party shall amend its by-laws to authorize them in principle; a copy of the by-law authorization and evidence of the approval for each regional committee by the state committee shall be filed by the political party with the secretary of state before the first Wednesday in June of that year.

143:2 Reporting by Political Committee. Amend RSA 664:6, II-III to read as follows:

II. A political committee shall file an itemized statement in the same form as in paragraph I [shall be filed] with the secretary of state not later than the Wednesday 3 weeks immediately preceding a primary and a general election, before 5 o’clock in the afternoon. The statement shall summarize the period under paragraph I if a statement is filed and shall itemize all receipts and expenditures since the cutoff of that statement up until the Monday preceding the filing of the statement under this paragraph.

II-a. A political committee shall file a statement in the same form as in paragraph I [shall be filed] with the secretary of state not later than the Wednesday immediately preceding a primary and a general election, before 5 o’clock in the afternoon. The statement shall summarize the statements under paragraphs I and II if such statements are filed and itemize all receipts and expenditures since the cutoff of the statement under paragraph II up until the Monday preceding the filing of the statement under this paragraph. In addition to the reporting requirements contained in this section, the secretary of state shall be notified by the fiscal agent within 24 hours of any contribution exceeding $500 which is received after the statement under this paragraph is filed and prior to the day of election.

III. A political committee shall file an itemized statement in the same form as in paragraph I summarizing the previous statements if such statements are filed and itemizing all receipts and expenditures since the cutoff of the previous report and ending on the day of the primary or the general election [shall be filed] with the secretary of state not later than the second Wednesday after the election, before 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

143:3 Reporting by Political Committee; Reference Corrected. Amend RSA 664:6, VI to read as follows:

VI. Copies of the statements required by paragraphs [I] II through V of the state committee of a political party shall be filed with the secretary of state in sufficient numbers so as to provide a copy for the state committee of each party on the ballot, which they may obtain by application to the secretary of state.

143:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 18, 2007

Effective: August 17, 2007