CSHB 355(JUD): "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 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 355(JUD) 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 Alaska Public Offices Commission collect 11 and provide to the people of Alaska readily accessible information related to the identity of 12 the sources of significant financial contributions and expenditures made in support or 13 opposition to a ballot 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. Reports must be filed as provided under (a) and 27 (b) of this section. If the report is a first report, it must cover the period beginning on 28 the day an application is filed under AS 15.45.020 and ending three days before the 29 due date of the report. 30 * Sec. 6. AS 15.45 is amended by adding new sections to read: 31 Article 4. Initiative Disclosure Requirements.
01 Sec. 15.45.750. Statement of purpose. The purpose of AS 15.45.750 - 02 15.45.780 is to ensure that significant contributions and expenditures made in support 03 of or in opposition to initiatives are fully and truthfully disclosed so that the electorate 04 may be fully informed and improper practices may be inhibited. 05 Sec. 15.45.760. Initiative committee names. An initiative committee must 06 have a name that 07 (1) includes the ballot title of the initiative and identifies that the 08 committee is for the initiative; 09 (2) is not deceptively similar to that of another person, group, or 10 nongroup entity; and 11 (3) is not otherwise misleading. 12 Sec. 15.45.770. Registration and reporting. (a) In addition to those persons 13 required to register before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a 14 ballot initiative under AS 15.13.050(a), an individual making expenditures exceeding 15 $500 in a calendar year in support of or in opposition to an initiative shall register with 16 the commission. 17 (b) A person making expenditures in support of or in opposition to an 18 initiative and registered under AS 15.13.050(a) and an individual registered under (a) 19 of this section shall file reports as required by AS 15.13.040 and AS 15.13.110. 20 (c) Campaign reports under this section must be submitted electronically. 21 (d) The commission shall publish reports required under this section on the 22 Internet, in a format accessible to the general public, within two working days after the 23 commission receives the report. 24 Sec. 15.45.780. Advertising and promotional materials. All political 25 advertising in support of or in opposition to an initiative that is paid for by an initiative 26 committee or any person, group, or nongroup entity receiving contributions or making 27 expenditures exceeding $500 in a calendar year in support of or in opposition to an 28 initiative must include the name of the committee, person, group, or nongroup entity. 29 Sec. 15.45.790. Definitions. In AS 15.45.750 - 15.45.790, "commission" 30 means the Alaska Public Offices Commission. 31 * Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to
01 read: 02 APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to an initiative for which the application was filed 03 with the lieutenant governor under AS 15.45.020 after the effective date of this Act.