Revision: Jan. 20, 2016, midnight
\t \t\tSB 508-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2016 SESSION
\t16-2761
\t03/10
SENATE BILL\t508-FN
AN ACT\tauthorizing citizen complaints to the ballot law commission for violations of registration and reporting requirements by political committees.
SPONSORS:\tSen. Pierce, Dist 5; Rep. Horrigan, Straf. 6
COMMITTEE:\tPublic and Municipal Affairs
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ANALYSIS
\tThis bill authorizes citizen complaints to the ballot law commission for violations of registration and reporting requirements by political committees and political advocacy organizations.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t16-2761
\t03/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\tauthorizing citizen complaints to the ballot law commission for violations of registration and reporting requirements by political committees.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 New Section; Registration of Political Committees; Citizen Complaints to Ballot Law Commission. Amend RSA 664 by inserting after section 18 the following new section:
\t664:18-a Citizen Complaints to Ballot Law Commission.
\t\tI. Any citizen of this state may file a written complaint with the ballot law commission alleging that an organization or entity has failed to register as a political committee or political advocacy organization or has failed to comply with reporting requirements under this chapter.
\t\tII. Upon receipt of the complaint, the ballot law commission shall provide notice of the complaint and the time and place for its hearing to the subject of the complaint and to the secretary of state and the attorney general. The ballot law commission shall conduct hearings and receive evidence on the complaint in accordance with RSA 665.
\t\tIII. If the ballot law commission finds that the subject of the complaint violated the registration or reporting requirements of this chapter, the complainant or the attorney general may petition the superior court for the imposition of fines under RSA 664:21.
\t2 New Paragraph; Ballot Law Commission; Hearing Date. Amend RSA 665:5 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:
\t\tIV. The ballot law commission shall meet at such times as may be necessary to hear and decide pending citizen complaints filed under RSA 664:18-a.
\t3 New Paragraph; Ballot Law Commission; General Duties. Amend RSA 665:6 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:
\t\tIV. Jurisdiction is vested in the ballot law commission to hear and decide citizen complaints filed under RSA 664:18-a.
\t4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2761
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1/6/16
SB 508-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\tauthorizing citizen complaints to the ballot law commission for violations of registration and reporting requirements by political committees.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of State states this bill, as introduced, may increase state expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact to state, county, and local revenue or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of State states this bill permit any New Hampshire citizen to file a written complaint to the Ballot Law Commission relative to campaign finance statutes. To the extent New Hampshire citizens file complaints, the Department may need to hire additional part-time staff.
The Department of Justice states it should be able to utilize existing resources to address any additional work resulting from this bill. During the 2014 campaign season eight complaints were filed regarding political committee registration and an additional four complaints were filed regarding political committee or political advocacy organization campaign finance reporting. The Department is unable to estimate how many additional complaints would be filed.
This bill does not contain an appropriation or authorization for new positions.