AB953: Bill Text

LRB-4468/3

JTK:skg:km

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Assembly BILL 953

February 26, 1996 - Introduced by Representatives Baldwin, Walker, Ainsworth, Albers, Baldus, Black, Cullen, Dobyns, Green, Gunderson, Hahn, Harsdorf, Hasenohrl, Kreuser, Krug, La Fave, Meyer, Murat, Notestein, Olsen, Plache, Plombon, Riley, Robson, Ryba, Seratti, Travis, Turner, Wirch, R. Young, Ziegelbauer, Zukowski and Springer, cosponsored by Senators Drzewiecki, Adelman, Andrea, Clausing and Schultz. Referred to Committee on Elections and Constitutional Law.

AB953,1,3 An Act to create 11.21 (16) and 20.510 (1) (i) of the statutes; relating to: electronic filing of certain campaign finance reports with the elections board and making appropriations.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, with certain exceptions, registrants under the campaign finance law are required to file periodic reports with the appropriate filing officer or agency. Candidates for state office or their personal campaign or authorized support committees file their reports with the state elections board.

This bill directs the board to accept a campaign finance report from any candidate for a partisan state office or his or her personal campaign or authorized support committee that is filed by means of electronic transmission. The bill also directs the board to make available to registrants software that is designed to facilitate complete electronic filing of campaign finance reports at a price that may not exceed cost. Under the bill, any registrant who or which files a report electronically must also file a copy of the report recorded on a medium prescribed by the board, together with a computer-generated copy of the report printed on paper. The paper copy must be signed and filed no later than the date currently prescribed by law for filing of the report. The bill directs the board to provide complete instructions to any registrant who or which wishes to file reports electronically under the bill. The bill also provides general purpose revenue funding to the board for computer hardware acquisitions and programming and maintenance costs required to enable electronic filing of campaign finance reports with the board.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB953, s. 1 Section 1. 11.21 (16) of the statutes is created to read:

AB953,2,15 11.21 (16) Accept from any candidate for a partisan state office, the personal campaign committee of such a candidate or the support committee of such a candidate authorized under s. 11.05 (3) (p), any campaign finance report that is required to be filed under this chapter, by means of electronic transmission. To facilitate implementation of this subsection, the board shall make available to registrants software that is designed to facilitate complete electronic filing under this subsection, at a price fixed by the board that may not exceed cost. Each registrant who or which files a report electronically under this subsection shall also file a copy of the report with the board that is recorded on a medium specified by the board, together with a computer-generated copy of the report printed on paper. The computer-generated copy of each report shall be signed by an authorized individual and filed with the board by each registrant no later than the time prescribed for filing of the report under this chapter. The board shall provide complete instructions to any registrant who or which wishes to file a report under this subsection.

AB953, s. 2 Section 2. 20.510 (1) (i) of the statutes is created to read:

AB953,2,19 20.510 (1) (i) Electronic filing software. All moneys received from registrants who purchase software to be utilized for electronic filing of campaign finance reports under s. 11.21 (16), for the purpose of providing that software.

AB953, s. 3 Section 3. Appropriation changes.

AB953,3,2 (1) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the elections board under section 20.510 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1995, the dollar amount is increased by $73,500 for fiscal year 1995-96 and the dollar amount is increased by $1,800 for fiscal year 1996-97 to provide for computer hardware acquisitions and programming and maintenance costs required to enable electronic filing of campaign finance reports with the board.

AB953, s. 4 Section 4. Initial applicability.

AB953,3,5 (1) This act first applies with respect to campaign finance reports that are required to be filed after August 31, 1996.

AB953,3,6 (End)