CSHB 16(STA): "An Act requiring a group supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot proposition in a state or local election to maintain an address in the state; amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements; relating to administrative complaints filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission; relating to state election expenditures and contributions made by a foreign-influenced corporation or foreign national; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 16(STA) 01 "An Act requiring a group supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot proposition in a 02 state or local election to maintain an address in the state; amending campaign 03 contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices 04 Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each 05 decade beginning in 2031; relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements; 06 relating to administrative complaints filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission; 07 relating to state election expenditures and contributions made by a foreign-influenced 08 corporation or foreign national; and providing for an effective date." 09 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 10 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 11 to read: 12 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe
01 that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on 02 wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign contributions are necessary to 03 secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections. 04 * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.050(a) is amended to read: 05 (a) Before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a candidate 06 or before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a ballot proposition 07 or question or to an initiative proposal application filed with the lieutenant governor 08 under AS 15.45.020, each person other than an individual shall 09 (1) register, on forms provided by the commission, with the 10 commission; and 11 (2) provide the person's physical address in the state or the 12 physical address of the person's agent registered under (d) of this section. 13 * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14 (d) A person may not register under (a) of this section unless the person has a 15 physical address in the state or registers with the commission an individual resident of 16 the state who maintains a physical address in the state or a domestic corporation 17 authorized to transact business in this state as the person's agent. A person shall notify 18 the commission within 10 days after a change to the person's in-state address, 19 registered agent, or the physical address of the person's registered agent. 20 * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read: 21 (b) Except as provided in (h) of this section, an [AN] individual may 22 contribute not more than 23 (1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity 24 for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 25 candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate [, OR 26 TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY]; 27 (2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group. 28 * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read: 29 (c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a 30 political party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR] 31 (1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual
01 who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 02 (2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a 03 political party. 04 * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read: 05 (f) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] nongroup entity may 06 contribute not more than 07 (1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup 08 entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 09 candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 10 (2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or 11 other group. 12 * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read: 13 (g) Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for governor and 14 lieutenant governor, 15 (1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election 16 cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and 17 (2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle 18 [$2,000 PER YEAR]. 19 * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 20 (h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do 21 not apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contributing to a group or 22 nongroup entity that makes only independent expenditures. 23 (i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and once every 10 24 years thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set 25 out in this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the 26 preceding 10-year period in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for 27 urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 28 Statistics, rounded to the nearest $50 increment. 29 * Sec. 9. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read: 30 (i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may 31 not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this
01 chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" MEANS 02 THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES 03 ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS 04 CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT 05 SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.] 06 * Sec. 10. AS 15.13.380(e) is amended to read: 07 (e) If the commission accepts the complaint for consideration on a regular 08 rather than an expedited basis, the commission shall notify the respondent within 09 seven days after receiving the complaint and shall investigate the complaint. The 10 commission shall complete an investigation under this section within 90 days 11 after the date the commission receives the complaint unless the commission 12 extends the investigation for good cause. The respondent may answer the complaint 13 by filing a written response with the commission within 15 days after the commission 14 notifies the respondent of the complaint. The commission may grant the respondent 15 additional time to respond to the complaint only for good cause. The commission shall 16 hold a hearing on the complaint not later than 45 days after the respondent's written 17 response is due. Not later than 10 days after the hearing, the commission shall issue its 18 order. If the commission finds that the respondent has engaged in or is about to engage 19 in an act or practice that constitutes or will constitute a violation of this chapter or a 20 regulation adopted under this chapter, the commission shall enter an order requiring 21 the violation to be ceased or to be remedied and shall assess civil penalties under 22 AS 15.13.390. 23 * Sec. 11. AS 15.13.380 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 24 (l) Beginning 50 days after a complaint is filed, the commission shall provide 25 the complainant a report on the status of the commission's investigation at least every 26 10 days. 27 * Sec. 12. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 28 (20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date that a 29 candidate becomes eligible to receive campaign contributions under this chapter and 30 ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed. 31 * Sec. 13. AS 15.13.068(b) and 15.13.068(c) are repealed.
01 * Sec. 14. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the 04 outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act. 05 * Sec. 15. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).