SCS CSHB 225(JUD): "An Act relating to election campaigns and legislative ethics; and providing for an effective date."
00SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 225(JUD) 01 "An Act relating to election campaigns and legislative ethics; and providing for 02 an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. PURPOSE. In the interest of attracting Alaska's best and brightest to 05 legislative service and retaining their services in the citizen legislature, and recognizing that 06 legislators are not full-time servants of the state but rather individuals with separate careers 07 whose business and personal obligations demand attention during the legislative session, it is 08 the purpose of this Act to minimize the burdens on candidates and legislators imposed by 09 Alaska's campaign finance and legislative ethics laws, without compromising the efficacy of 10 those laws. 11 * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.030 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 12 (b) In applying this chapter and adopting regulations under this chapter, the 13 commission shall narrowly interpret the applicable statutes and the commission's 14 powers concerning contributions to candidates and requirements for financial reports
01 from candidates to ensure that campaigns for public office are conducted in a manner 02 that imposes the fewest burdens necessary on citizens, candidates, and groups to 03 comply with statutory contribution limits and to provide appropriate information to the 04 public. If a statute is ambiguous, the commission shall consider the intent of the 05 legislature in interpreting the statute. 06 * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.040 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 07 (j) The results of a poll limited to issues and not mentioning any candidate 08 may not be considered a contribution. The results of a poll provided to a candidate 09 that mention a candidate may not be considered a contribution to the candidate to 10 whom the poll results were provided unless the poll was requested by or designed 11 primarily to benefit the candidate. 12 * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.050(b) is amended to read: 13 (b) If a group intends to support only one candidate, or to contribute to or 14 expend on behalf of one candidate 33 1/3 percent or more of its funds, the name of 15 the candidate shall be a part of the name of the group. If the group intends to oppose 16 only one candidate [,] or to contribute its funds in opposition to or make expenditures 17 in opposition to a candidate, the group's name must clearly state that it opposes that 18 candidate by using a word such as "opposes," "opposing," "in opposition to," or 19 "against" in the group's name. Promptly upon receiving the registration, the 20 commission shall notify the candidate of the group's organization and intent. More 21 than one group may be registered by a candidate to support that candidate; 22 however, multiple groups controlled by a single candidate shall be treated as a 23 single group for purposes of the contribution limit in AS 15.13.070(b)(1). 24 * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(e) is amended to read: 25 (e) This section does not prohibit a candidate from using up to a total of 26 $2,000 [$1,000] from campaign contributions in a year to pay the cost of 27 (1) attendance by a candidate or guests of the candidate at an event or 28 other function sponsored by a political party or by a subordinate unit of a political 29 party; 30 (2) membership in a political party, subordinate unit of a political party, 31 or other entity within a political party, or subscription to a publication from a political
01 party; [OR] 02 (3) co-sponsorship of an event or other function sponsored by a 03 political party or by a subordinate unit of a political party ; or 04 (4) publicizing or reporting the activities of an organized group of 05 legislators as that term is defined in AS 24.60.080(l) . 06 * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.074(c) as repealed and reenacted by sec. 12, ch. 48, SLA 1996, is 07 amended to read: 08 (c) A person or group may not make a contribution 09 (1) to a candidate for governor or lieutenant governor or an 10 individual who files with the commission the document necessary to permit that 11 individual to incur certain election-related expenses as authorized by AS 15.13.100 for 12 governor or lieutenant governor when the office is to be filled at a general election 13 before January 1 following [THE DATE THAT IS 18 MONTHS BEFORE] the last 14 general election in which a governor was elected ; 15 (2) to a candidate for the state legislature or municipal office or an 16 individual who files with the commission the document necessary to permit that 17 individual to incur certain election-related expenses for the state legislature or 18 municipal office as authorized by AS 15.13.100 when the office is to be filled at 19 a general election before the date that is 18 months before the general election; 20 (3) to a candidate or an individual who files with the commission the 21 document necessary to permit that individual to incur certain election-related expenses 22 as authorized by AS 15.13.100 for an office that is to be filled at a special election or 23 municipal election before the date that is 18 months before the date of the regular 24 municipal election or that is before the date of the proclamation of the special election 25 at which the candidate or individual seeks election to public office; or 26 (4) [(3)] to any candidate after the earlier of December 31 of the 27 year of the election or the 60th [LATER THAN THE 45TH] day 28 (A) after the date of a primary election if the candidate 29 (i) has been nominated at the primary election or is 30 running as a write-in candidate; and 31 (ii) is not opposed at the general election;
01 (B) after the date of the primary election if the candidate was 02 not nominated at the primary election; or 03 (C) after the date of the general election, or after the date of a 04 municipal or municipal runoff election, if the candidate was opposed at the 05 general, municipal, or municipal runoff election. 06 * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.074(f) is amended to read: 07 (f) A corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, 08 business trust or surety, labor union, or publicly funded entity that does not satisfy the 09 definition of group in AS 15.13.400 may not make a contribution to a candidate or 10 group. Notwithstanding the prohibition set out in this subsection, a corporation, 11 company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust or surety, 12 labor union, or publicly funded entity may sponsor a political party event within 13 this state by paying for advertising, food, hall rental, and other actual costs 14 associated with the event. 15 * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.078 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 16 (e) A campaign expenditure for goods or services made by the candidate from 17 personal funds or by cash, personal check, or personal credit card and reimbursed to 18 the candidate by the campaign before the end of the reporting period for the report due 19 February 15 under AS 15.13.110(a) is not a loan or contribution for purposes of this 20 section and shall be reported to the commission as a campaign expenditure. 21 * Sec. 9. AS 15.13.110(a) is amended to read: 22 (a) Each candidate and group shall make a full report in accordance with 23 AS 15.13.040 for the period ending three days before the due date of the report and 24 beginning on the last day covered by the most recent previous report. If the report is 25 a first report, it shall cover the period from the beginning of the campaign to the date 26 three days before the due date of the report. If the report is a report due February 15, 27 it shall cover the period beginning on the last day covered by the most recent previous 28 report or on the day that the campaign started, whichever is later, and ending on 29 December 31 of the prior year. The report shall be filed 30 (1) 30 days before the election; however, this report is not required if 31 the deadline for filing a nominating petition or declaration of candidacy is within 30
01 days of the election; 02 (2) one week before the election; 03 (3) 10 days after the election; and 04 (4) February 15 for expenditures made and contributions received that 05 were not reported during the previous year, including, if applicable, all amounts 06 expended from a public office expense term account established under AS 15.13.118 07 [AS 15.13.116(a)(8)] and all amounts expended from a municipal office account under 08 AS 15.13.116(a)(9), or when expenditures were not made or contributions were not 09 received during the previous year. 10 * Sec. 10. AS 15.13.112(c) is amended to read: 11 (c) A candidate may use up to a total of $2,000 [$1,000] in campaign 12 contributions in a year to pay the cost of 13 (1) attending, or paying the cost for guests of the candidate to attend, 14 an event or other function sponsored by a political party or subordinate unit of a 15 political party; 16 (2) membership in a political party, subordinate unit of a political party, 17 or other entity within a political party, or subscription to a publication from a political 18 party; [AND] 19 (3) co-sponsorship of an event or other function sponsored by a 20 political party or by a subordinate unit of a political party ; or 21 (4) meetings or activities of an organized group of legislators as 22 that term is defined in AS 24.60.080(l) . 23 * Sec. 11. AS 15.13.116(a) is amended to read: 24 (a) A candidate who, after the date of the general, special, municipal, or 25 municipal runoff election or after the date the candidate withdraws as a candidate, 26 whichever comes first, holds unused campaign contributions shall distribute the amount 27 held within 90 days. The distribution may only be made to 28 (1) pay bills incurred for expenditures reasonably related to the 29 campaign and the winding up of the affairs of the campaign, including a victory or 30 thank you party , thank you advertisements, and thank you gifts to campaign 31 employees and volunteers, and to pay expenditures associated with post-election fund
01 raising that may be needed to raise funds to pay off campaign debts; 02 (2) make donations, without condition, to 03 (A) a political party; 04 (B) the state's general fund; 05 (C) a municipality of the state; or 06 (D) the federal government; 07 (3) make donations, without condition, to organizations qualified as 08 charitable organizations under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), provided the organization is not 09 controlled by the candidate or a member of the candidate's immediate family; 10 (4) repay loans from the candidate to the candidate's own campaign 11 under AS 15.13.078(b); 12 (5) repay contributions to contributors, but only if repayment of the 13 contribution is made pro rata in approximate proportion to the contributions made 14 using one of the following, as the candidate determines: 15 (A) to all contributors; 16 (B) to contributors who have contributed most recently; or 17 (C) to contributors who have made larger contributions; 18 (6) establish a fund for, and from that fund to pay, attorney fees or 19 costs incurred in the prosecution or defense of an administrative or civil judicial action 20 that directly concerns a challenge to the victory or defeat of the candidate in the 21 election; 22 (7) transfer all or a portion of the unused campaign contributions to 23 [AN ACCOUNT FOR] a future election campaign account in accordance with 24 AS 15.13.117 [; A TRANSFER UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH IS LIMITED TO 25 (A) $50,000, IF THE TRANSFER IS MADE BY A 26 CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR; 27 (B) $10,000, IF THE TRANSFER IS MADE BY A 28 CANDIDATE FOR THE STATE SENATE; 29 (C) $5,000, IF THE TRANSFER IS MADE BY A CANDIDATE 30 FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; AND 31 (D) $5,000, IF THE TRANSFER IS MADE BY A
01 CANDIDATE FOR AN OFFICE NOT DESCRIBED IN (A) - (C) OF THIS 02 PARAGRAPH]; 03 (8) transfer all or a portion of the unused campaign contributions to a 04 public office expense term account [OR TO A PUBLIC OFFICE EXPENSE TERM 05 ACCOUNT RESERVE] in accordance with AS 15.13.118 [(d) OF THIS SECTION; 06 A TRANSFER UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING: 07 (A) THE AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER IS LIMITED TO 08 CANDIDATES WHO ARE ELECTED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE; 09 (B) THE PUBLIC OFFICE EXPENSE TERM ACCOUNT 10 ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH MAY BE USED ONLY FOR 11 EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CANDIDATE'S SERVING AS A 12 MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE; 13 (C) ALL AMOUNTS EXPENDED FROM THE PUBLIC 14 OFFICE EXPENSE TERM ACCOUNT SHALL BE ANNUALLY 15 ACCOUNTED FOR UNDER AS 15.13.110(a)(4); AND 16 (D) A TRANSFER UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH IS LIMITED 17 TO $5,000 MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE TERM TO 18 WHICH THE CANDIDATE IS ELECTED]; and 19 (9) transfer all or a portion of the unused campaign contributions to a 20 municipal office account; a transfer under this paragraph is subject to the following: 21 (A) the authority to transfer is limited to candidates who are 22 elected to municipal office, including a municipal school board; 23 (B) the municipal office account established under this 24 paragraph may be used only for expenses associated with the candidate's 25 serving as mayor or as a member of the assembly, city council, or school 26 board; 27 (C) all amounts expended from the municipal office account 28 shall be annually accounted for under AS 15.13.110(a)(4); and 29 (D) a transfer under this paragraph is limited to $5,000. 30 * Sec. 12. AS 15.13.116(b) is amended to read: 31 (b) After a general, special, municipal, or municipal runoff election, a
01 candidate may retain the ownership of one computer and one printer and of personal 02 property, except money, that was acquired by and for use in the campaign. The 03 current fair market value of the property retained, exclusive of the computer and 04 printer, may not exceed $5,000 [$2,500]. All other property shall be disposed of, or 05 sold and the sale proceeds disposed of, in accordance with (a) or (c) of this section. 06 Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, 07 (1) a candidate may (A) [(1)] retain a bulk mailing permit that was 08 paid for with campaign funds, and (B) [(2)] use personal funds, campaign funds, or 09 unused campaign contributions transferred to a public office expense term account 10 under AS 15.13.118 [(a)(8) OF THIS SECTION] to pay the continuing charges for the 11 permit after the election ; money [. MONEY] used to continue the life of the permit 12 is not considered to be a contribution under this chapter ; in [. IN] addition to any 13 other use permitted under this chapter, during the candidate's term of office, the 14 candidate may use the bulk mailing permit for mailings associated with service in the 15 office to which the candidate was elected ; during [. DURING] the candidate's term 16 of office, if the candidate files a declaration of candidacy or the document necessary 17 to permit the candidate to incur election-related expenses under AS 15.13.100 [A 18 LETTER OF INTENT TO BECOME A CANDIDATE] for the same or a different 19 elective office, the candidate may also use the bulk mailing permit in that election 20 campaign ; 21 (2) a candidate may retain campaign photographs and use the 22 photographs for any purpose associated with service in the office to which the 23 candidate was elected; 24 (3) a candidate may retain seasonal greeting cards purchased with 25 campaign funds; and 26 (4) campaign signs prepared for an election that has already taken 27 place have no monetary value and may be retained or disposed of at the 28 candidate's discretion . 29 * Sec. 13. AS 15.13 is amended by adding new sections to read: 30 Sec. 15.13.117. Future election campaign accounts. (a) Unused campaign 31 contributions may be transferred to one or more future election campaign accounts.
01 Before transferring unused campaign contributions to a future election campaign 02 account, a candidate must file a letter of intent to campaign for election with the 03 commission. The letter of intent may specify the office to be sought and must specify 04 the election year in which the campaign will take place. If the letter of intent does not 05 specify the office to be sought, a maximum of $20,000 may be transferred for 06 campaigns for state office and a maximum of $10,000 for campaigns for municipal 07 office. If the letter of intent does not specify that a state office is to be sought, a 08 maximum of $10,000 may be transferred. Contributions may be transferred to an 09 account for a future campaign for election to an office other than that for which they 10 were originally raised. 11 (b) If a candidate seeks election to a different office than that specified in the 12 letter of intent filed under (a) of this section, the candidate may use only that portion 13 of the amount transferred that would have been permitted under this subsection for the 14 office actually campaigned for. Any excess funds transferred are forfeited to the state 15 under AS 15.13.116(c). Any contributions that could not have been accepted under 16 AS 15.13.072 or 15.13.074 for a campaign for the office actually campaigned for are 17 forfeited to the state under AS 15.13.116(c). If the candidate does not actually seek 18 election to any office at the election specified in the letter of intent, the entire balance 19 of the account is forfeited to the state under AS 15.13.116(c). 20 (c) For an office specified in a letter of intent under (a) of this section, a 21 candidate may transfer to a future campaign account an amount not exceeding 22 (1) $100,000 for a future campaign for governor or lieutenant governor; 23 (2) $40,000 for a future campaign for the state senate; 24 (3) $20,000 for a future campaign for the state house of representatives; 25 (4) $60,000 for a future campaign for mayor of a municipality with a 26 population greater than 100,000; 27 (5) $40,000 for a future campaign for mayor of a municipality with a 28 population greater than 50,000 but not exceeding 100,000; 29 (6) $20,000 for a future campaign for mayor of a municipality with a 30 population not exceeding 50,000; and 31 (7) $10,000 for an office not described in (A) - (F) of this paragraph.
01 (d) A candidate may use $1,000 of the funds in a future election campaign 02 account each year for unconditional donations to one or more organizations qualified 03 as charitable organizations under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), provided the organizations are 04 not controlled by the candidate or a member of the candidate's immediate family. 05 (e) A candidate may use $1,000 of the funds in a future election campaign 06 account each year for the cost of attending, or paying the cost for guests of the 07 candidate to attend, an event or other function sponsored by a political party or 08 subordinate unit of a political party. 09 Sec. 15.13.118. Public office expense term accounts. (a) After a general or 10 special election, a candidate who has been elected to the state legislature in that 11 election may establish a public office expense term account reserve with unused 12 campaign contributions. A candidate for the senate may transfer up to $40,000 in 13 unused campaign contributions into a public office expense term account reserve. A 14 candidate for the house of representatives may transfer up to $16,000 in unused 15 campaign contributions to a public office expense term account reserve. The public 16 office expense term account reserve may only be used to make transfers to a public 17 office expense term account. 18 (b) A candidate elected to the senate may transfer up to $10,000 each calendar 19 year from a public office expense term account reserve to a public office expense term 20 account. A candidate elected to the house may transfer up to $8,000 each calendar 21 year from a public office expense term account reserve to a public office expense term 22 account. A candidate elected to the legislature may also transfer any interest that has 23 accrued in the candidate's public office expense term account reserve to a public office 24 expense term account. If, during a calendar year, a candidate transfers less than the 25 permitted amount from a public office expense term account reserve to a public office 26 expense term account, the excess may be carried over in the reserve and transferred 27 in a subsequent calendar year. At the end of the candidate's term of office, a balance 28 in the public office expense term account reserve must be disposed of only as 29 authorized by AS 15.13.116(a)(2), (3), or (5). 30 (c) Funds in a public office expense term account may be used only for 31 expenses associated with the candidate's serving as a member of the legislature,
01 including the unconditional donation of up to $1,000 a year to one or more 02 organizations qualified as charitable organizations under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), provided 03 the organization is not controlled by the candidate or a member of the candidate's 04 immediate family. Funds in a public office expense term account or public office 05 expense term account reserve shall be annually accounted for under 06 AS 15.13.110(a)(4). 07 * Sec. 14. AS 15.13.145(b) is amended to read: 08 (b) Money held by an entity identified in (a)(1) - (3) of this section may be 09 used to influence the outcome of an election concerning a ballot proposition or 10 question if the use is permitted under AS 24.60.030(a)(5)(H) or [, BUT ONLY] if 11 the funds have been specifically appropriated for that purpose by a state law or a 12 municipal ordinance. 13 * Sec. 15. AS 15.13.400(3) is amended to read: 14 (3) "contribution" 15 (A) means a purchase, payment, promise or obligation to pay, 16 loan or loan guarantee, deposit or gift of money, goods, or services for which 17 charge is ordinarily made and that is made for the purpose of influencing the 18 nomination or election of a candidate, and in AS 15.13.010(b) for the purpose 19 of influencing a ballot proposition or question, including the payment by a 20 person other than a candidate or political party, or compensation for the 21 personal services of another person, that are rendered to the candidate or 22 political party; 23 (B) does not include 24 (i) services provided without compensation by 25 individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a 26 political party, candidate , or ballot proposition or question [, BUT IT 27 DOES INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES VOLUNTEERED BY 28 INDIVIDUALS FOR WHICH THEY ORDINARILY WOULD BE 29 PAID A FEE OR WAGE]; 30 (ii) services provided by an accountant or other person 31 to prepare reports and statements required by this chapter; [OR]
01 (iii) ordinary hospitality in a home; 02 (iv) professional legal or accounting services that are 03 provided to a candidate, group, or political party without 04 compensation by an attorney or accountant; the nature or form of 05 the entity under which the attorney or accountant conducts the 06 attorney's or accountant's professional practice does not affect the 07 exception; or 08 (v) mass mailings by each political party describing 09 the party's slate of candidates for election, which may include 10 photographs and biographies of the party's candidates; 11 * Sec. 16. AS 24.60.030(a) is amended to read: 12 (a) A legislator or legislative employee may not 13 (1) solicit, agree to accept, or accept a benefit other than official 14 compensation for the performance of public duties; this paragraph may not be 15 construed to prohibit lawful solicitation for and acceptance of campaign contributions 16 or the acceptance of a lawful gratuity under AS 24.60.080; 17 (2) use public funds, facilities, equipment, services, or another 18 government asset or resource for a nonlegislative purpose, for involvement in or 19 support of or opposition to partisan political activity, or for the private benefit of either 20 the legislator, legislative employee, or another person; this paragraph does not prohibit 21 (A) limited use of state property and resources for personal 22 purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of public duties and 23 either the cost or value related to the use is nominal or the legislator or 24 legislative employee reimburses the state for the cost of the use; 25 (B) the unlimited use of mailing lists, computer data, or other 26 information lawfully obtained from a government agency and available to the 27 general public for nonlegislative purposes; 28 (C) unlimited telephone or facsimile use that does not carry a 29 special charge; 30 (D) the legislative council, notwithstanding AS 24.05.190, from 31 designating a public facility for use by legislators and legislative employees for
01 health or fitness purposes; when the council designates a facility to be used by 02 legislators and legislative employees for health or fitness purposes, it shall 03 adopt guidelines governing access to and use of the facility; the guidelines may 04 establish times in which use of the facility is limited to specific groups; [OR] 05 (E) a legislator from using the legislator's private office in the 06 capital city during a legislative session, and for the 10 [FIVE] days 07 immediately before and the 10 [FIVE] days immediately after a legislative 08 session, for nonlegislative purposes if the use does not interfere with the 09 performance of public duties and if there is no cost to the state for the use of 10 the space and equipment, other than utility costs and minimal wear and tear, 11 or the legislator promptly reimburses the state for the cost; an office is 12 considered a legislator's private office under this subparagraph if it is the 13 primary space in the capital city reserved for use by the legislator, whether or 14 not it is shared with others; 15 (F) a legislator from unlimited use of legislative employees 16 to prepare and send out seasonal greeting cards; 17 (G) a legislator from using state resources to transport 18 computers or other office equipment owned by the legislator but primarily 19 used for a state function; 20 (H) unlimited use by a legislator of photographs of that 21 legislator; 22 (I) reasonable use of the Internet by a legislator or a 23 legislative employee except if the use is for election campaign purposes; or 24 (J) a legislator from soliciting, accepting, or receiving a gift 25 on behalf of a recognized, nonpolitical charitable organization in a state 26 facility; 27 (3) knowingly seek, accept, use, allocate, grant, or award public funds 28 for a purpose other than that approved by law, or make a false statement in connection 29 with a claim, request, or application for compensation, reimbursement, or travel 30 allowances from public funds; 31 (4) require a legislative employee to perform services for the private
01 benefit of the legislator or employee at any time, or allow a legislative employee to 02 perform services for the private benefit of a legislator or employee on government 03 time; it is not a violation of this paragraph if the services were performed in an 04 unusual or infrequent situation and the person's services were reasonably necessary to 05 permit the legislator or legislative employee to perform official duties; 06 (5) use or authorize the use of state funds, facilities, equipment, 07 services, or another government asset or resource for the purpose of political fund 08 raising or campaigning; this paragraph does not prohibit 09 (A) limited use of state property and resources for personal 10 purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of public duties and 11 either the cost or value related to the use is nominal or the legislator or 12 legislative employee reimburses the state for the cost of the use; 13 (B) the unlimited use of mailing lists, computer data, or other 14 information lawfully obtained from a government agency and available to the 15 general public for nonlegislative purposes; 16 (C) telephone or facsimile use that does not carry a special 17 charge; 18 (D) unlimited storage or maintenance [STORING OR 19 MAINTAINING], consistent with (b) of this section, of election campaign 20 records in a legislator's office; [OR] 21 (E) a legislator from using the legislator's private office in the 22 capital city during a legislative session, and for the 10 [FIVE] days 23 immediately before and the 10 [FIVE] days immediately after a legislative 24 session, for nonlegislative purposes if the use does not interfere with the 25 performance of public duties and if there is no cost to the state for the use of 26 the space and equipment, other than utility costs and minimal wear and tear, 27 or the legislator promptly reimburses the state for the cost; an office is 28 considered a legislator's private office under this subparagraph if it is the 29 primary space in the capital city reserved for use by the legislator, whether or 30 not it is shared with others ; 31 (F) unlimited use by a legislator of photographs of that
01 legislator; 02 (G) reasonable use of the Internet by a legislator or a 03 legislative employee except if the use is for election campaign purposes; or 04 (H) use of governmental resources, including paid staff time, 05 to support or oppose a proposed initiative or an amendment to the state 06 or federal constitution; a legislator or legislative employee may support or 07 oppose a proposed initiative or constitutional amendment; however, a 08 legislator or legislative employee may not use governmental resources to 09 solicit contributions for or gather signatures on an initiative petition; a 10 legislative employee may not, on government time, accept or receive 11 contributions relating to a proposed constitutional amendment or initiative . 12 * Sec. 17. AS 24.60.080 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 13 (l) A legislator may solicit, accept, or receive a gift on behalf of an organized 14 group of legislators, but the gift may only be used to cover the cost of the meetings 15 or activities of the organized group within this state. The value of a gift authorized 16 by this subsection may not be included in determining the value of gifts under (a) of 17 this section. This subsection does not authorize a gift from a lobbyist. In this 18 subsection, "organized group of legislators" means two or more legislators organized 19 for a particular purpose not related to an individual's election campaign, other than a 20 majority caucus, minority caucus, or party caucus. 21 * Sec. 18. AS 24.60.090 is repealed and reenacted to read: 22 Sec. 24.60.090. Nepotism. (a) An individual who is related to a member of 23 the legislature may not be employed for compensation 24 (1) during the legislative session in the house in which the legislator 25 is a member; 26 (2) by an agency of the legislature established under AS 24.20; or 27 (3) in either house during the interim between sessions. 28 (b) An individual who is related to a member of the legislature may not be 29 employed by the committee, whether for compensation or not. 30 (c) An individual who is related to a legislative employee may not be 31 employed in a position over which the employee has supervisory authority.
01 (d) Notwithstanding (a)(3) of this section, an individual who is related to a 02 member of the legislature may be employed in the other house of the legislature during 03 the interim between sessions if, while the individual was disqualified from employment 04 in either house of the legislature during the interim under (a)(3) of this section, the 05 individual worked for at least 100 days during each of four regular legislative sessions. 06 (e) In this section, 07 (1) "an individual who is related to" means a member of the legislator's 08 or legislative employee's immediate family or a person who is a legislator's or 09 legislative employee's spousal equivalent living together in a conjugal relationship not 10 a legal marriage with the legislator or legislative employee; 11 (2) "interim between sessions" means the period beginning on the 12 eighth day after the legislature adjourns from a regular or special session and ending 13 eight days before the date that the legislature next convenes in regular session under 14 AS 24.05.090 or in special session under AS 24.05.100; 15 (3) "other house of the legislature" means the house in which the 16 individual's relation is not a member. 17 * Sec. 19. AS 24.60.150 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 18 (c) In carrying out these duties, the committee shall interpret this chapter in 19 the manner that is no more restrictive of the actions of legislators than is necessary to 20 implement the intent of the law. If a statute is ambiguous, the committee shall 21 consider the intent of the legislature in interpreting the statute. 22 * Sec. 20. AS 15.13.116(d) is repealed. 23 * Sec. 21. Section 6 of this Act takes effect on the later of the effective date set out in 24 sec. 22 of this Act or on the date that, under sec. 34, ch. 48, SLA 1996, sec. 12, ch. 48, SLA 25 1996, takes effect. 26 * Sec. 22. Except as provided in sec. 21 of this Act, this Act takes effect December 1, 27 1999.