HB 355: "An Act requiring the disclosure of the identity of certain persons, groups, and nongroup entities that expend money in support of or in opposition to ballot initiatives and the aggregate amounts of significant contributions or expenditures made by those persons, groups, and nongroup entities."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 355 01 "An Act requiring the disclosure of the identity of certain persons, groups, and 02 nongroup entities that expend money in support of or in opposition to ballot initiatives 03 and the aggregate amounts of significant contributions or expenditures made by those 04 persons, groups, and nongroup entities." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 07 to read: 08 SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Open and Transparent Initiative Act. 09 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 10 read: 11 FINDINGS. The legislature finds that informing the electorate of the identity of 12 persons, groups, and nongroup entities that make significant contributions or expenditures in 13 support of or in opposition to ballot initiatives would enhance the integrity of the state's 14 electoral and legislative processes.
01 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. (a) It is the intent of the legislature that this Act ensure that 04 the people of Alaska are able to cast informed votes on election day by having the opportunity 05 to know 06 (1) the identity of persons, groups, and nongroup entities that make significant 07 contributions or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a ballot initiative; and 08 (2) the aggregate amount of significant contributions or expenditures made by 09 persons, groups, and nongroup entities in support of or in opposition to a ballot initiative. 10 (b) It is the intent of the legislature that the director of elections collect and provide to 11 the people of Alaska readily accessible information related to the identity of the sources of 12 significant financial contributions and expenditures made in support or opposition to a ballot 13 initiative. 14 * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.110(e) is amended to read: 15 (e) A group formed to sponsor [AN INITIATIVE,] a referendum or a recall 16 shall report 30 days after its first filing with the lieutenant governor. Thereafter, each 17 group shall report within 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter on the 18 contributions received and expenditures made during the preceding calendar quarter 19 until reports are due under (a) of this section. 20 * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.110 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 21 (g) An initiative committee or any person, group, or nongroup entity receiving 22 contributions or making expenditures exceeding $500 in a calendar year in support of 23 or in opposition to a ballot initiative shall make a full report in accordance with 24 AS 15.13.040 on the contributions received and expenditures made for the period 25 beginning on the last day covered by the most recent previous report and ending three 26 days before the due date of the report. If the report is a first report, it must cover the 27 period beginning on the day an application is filed under AS 15.45.020 and ending 28 three days before the due date of the report. In addition to the reports required under 29 (a) and (b) of this section, reports shall be filed 30 (1) on or before the 15th day of each month before the election; and 31 (2) two weeks before the election.
01 * Sec. 6. AS 15.45 is amended by adding new sections to read: 02 Article 4. Initiative Disclosure Requirements. 03 Sec. 15.45.750. Statement of purpose. The purpose of AS 15.45.750 - 04 15.45.780 is to ensure that significant contributions and expenditures made in support 05 of or in opposition to initiatives are fully and truthfully disclosed so that the electorate 06 may be fully informed and improper practices may be inhibited. 07 Sec. 15.45.760. Initiative committees. An initiative committee must have a 08 name that 09 (1) includes the ballot title of the initiative and the word "for" or the 10 word "against"; 11 (2) is not deceptively similar to that of another person, group, or 12 nongroup entity; and 13 (3) is not otherwise misleading. 14 Sec. 15.45.770. Registration and reporting. (a) An initiative committee under 15 AS 15.45.030(3) or any person, group, or nongroup entity receiving contributions or 16 making expenditures exceeding $500 in a calendar year in support of or in opposition 17 to an initiative shall 18 (1) register with the commission; and 19 (2) file reports as required by AS 15.13.040 and in the manner 20 provided by AS 15.13.110. 21 (b) Campaign reports under this section must be submitted electronically. 22 (c) The commission shall publish reports required under this section on the 23 Internet, in a format accessible to the general public, within two working days after the 24 commission receives the report. 25 Sec. 15.45.780. Advertising and promotional materials. All political 26 advertising in support of or in opposition to an initiative that is paid for by an initiative 27 committee or any person, group, or nongroup entity receiving contributions or making 28 expenditures exceeding $500 in a calendar year in support of or in opposition to an 29 initiative must include the name of the committee, person, group, or nongroup entity. 30 * Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 31 read:
01 APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to an initiative for which the application was filed 02 with the lieutenant governor under AS 15.45.020 after the effective date of this Act.