LRB-4728/3
JTK:skg:km
1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE
March 7, 1996 - Introduced by Representatives Carpenter, Bock, Baldwin,
Hasenohrl, Notestein, R. Potter, Robson, Seratti, R. Young, Boyle and
Grothman, cosponsored by Senators Moen, Decker and Clausing. Referred
to Committee on Elections and Constitutional Law.
AB998,1,2
1An Act to create 11.25 (4) of the statutes;
relating to: independent
2disbursements by former personal campaign committees.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, a personal campaign committee may make contributions to
candidates other than the candidate whom it is organized to support, subject to
applicable contribution limitations. If a candidate dies or ceases to be a candidate,
the personal campaign committee remains subject to the same limitations. However,
if the committee thereafter files an oath affirming its independence from any
candidate, the committee may, in addition to making contributions, make
disbursements (expenditures) in an unlimited amount to advocate the election or
defeat of a candidate.
This bill provides that if a candidate dies or ceases to be a candidate, and the
candidate's personal campaign committee thereafter files an oath affirming its
independence of any candidate, the committee may not make any disbursement to
advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is derived in
whole or in part from contributions received by the committee prior to filing the oath
in an amount or value exceeding the maximum contribution that the committee is
permitted to make to that candidate under contribution limitations currently
prescribed by law. Violators are subject to a forfeiture (civil penalty) of not more than
$500 for each violation. Intentional violators may be fined not more than $10,000
or imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, unless the amount or value of the
violation does not exceed $100, in which case they may be fined not more than $1,000
or imprisoned for not more than 6 months, or both.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB998, s. 1
3Section
1. 11.25 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
AB998,2,8
111.25
(4) If a candidate dies or ceases to be a candidate, and the candidate's
2personal campaign committee thereafter files an oath under s. 11.06 (7) indicating
3its intent to operate as an independent committee, the committee may not make any
4disbursement to advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate in
5an election that is derived in whole or in part from contributions received by the
6committee prior to the date on which the committee files the oath under s. 11.06 (7)
7in an amount or value exceeding the maximum contribution that the committee is
8permitted to make to that candidate in any campaign under s. 11.26 (2).
