HB 555 – AS INTRODUCED
2007 SESSION
03/10
HOUSE BILL 555
AN ACT relative to certain disclosures by campaign workers.
SPONSORS: Rep. DeJoie, Merr 11
This bill prohibits a campaign worker from promoting the candidate for whom he or she works without disclosing the employment relationship.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
07-0955
03/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT relative to certain disclosures by campaign workers.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Provisions for Purity of Elections; Illegal Influence; Failure to Identify Employment Status. Amend RSA 666 by inserting after section 7-a the following new section:
666:7-b Failure to Identify Employment Status.
I. Any person who is employed, either directly or indirectly, by any political campaign or exploratory committee or any other organization formed to influence the public to support a person or persons seeking an electoral outcome shall disclose the nature of the employment relationship if the person:
(a) Moderates, directs, owns, or hosts a radio or television program that can be accessed on the public airwaves; or
(b) Authors, in whole or in part, an item published in a commercially available newspaper about or relating to his or her employer or the employer’s political challengers.
II. The disclosure required by paragraph I shall be in accordance with the following requirements:
(a) For radio and television, it shall be at the beginning and end of every segment; for purposes of this subparagraph, “segment” means the period between breaks for advertising or identification of underwriters, or any period not exceeding 15 minutes.
(b) For print, it shall be prominent and clearly printed in the article, letter, or other item.
III. The disclosure shall include the name of the candidate, candidates, or organization employing the person, the term of employment, and the person’s total remuneration package.
IV. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $1,000 and not more than $25,000 for each violation.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.